PLANS
by suspensewriter
Summary: The Dominants did not all come from Mexico. Some have already been among us
1. Default Chapter

Prey owned by the writer and the originator of the series as well as by ABC, the Science Fiction Network, and any other network who pays the copyright fees to show it as well as any company who will make DVDS, VHS, CDs, and Tapes of the music in the future. The characters of Tom Daniels, Sloan Parker, Ed Tate, Walter Attwood, Ray Peterson, Lewis, etc, belong to the writer of the series. The other characters belong to me, so no borrowing. This starts back thirty of so years when Prey was supposed to take place and continues to the period after the end of the show, or the half cliff hanger.  
  
PLANS  
  
CHAPTER ONE  
  
In a hidden village in Mexico, a boy took a sheet of paper from inside a small box hidden inside the pile of coats in his father's bedroom. He glanced once at the black slab that served as the bed, and remembered that he was now in charge and soon, he would be on his own. He already had a mate, but until his fifteenth name day, he had to live in his father's house, for that was the order of the Council. He then turned his attention back to the copy paper looking at the symbols, words, and numbers; his quick mind deciphering between message and code.  
  
Earlier that evening, his father and his mother had driven off with his new sister, hoping to save her life so she would not die on the order of the Dominant council. It was intelligent of me, thought John, to make a copy of the contents of the envelope.  
  
Soon his father and Lupe would return in perhaps seven days or after the Mexican's day of the Divine, as the Dominants called Sunday. John, for that was his name, did not have to worry about his mate. She was on a foray with several other Dominants hunting down humans who were getting too near to their hideout. From the time they approached their fifth name day, Dominants had to learn.to dispatch an enemy, who to kill, and who to leave alone. They also had to learn how to dispose of the body using the Disposer, although the Dominant Council called it by a more complicated name. It reduced the body to nothingness, a necessary precaution to prevent the humans from discovering any remains. However, it had several other settings, from causing a mild shock, up to a severe burn, and death, and then extinction. It took time to learn the proper controls, and one did not master it until they reached maturity or fifteen years old. His mate was up to the severe burn stage. However, John did not want to waste time in pride about his mate's ability. Telling the younger children to stay and be quiet, he put the paper in his pocket, and left out to the darkness.  
  
He kept to the shadows until he reached an abandoned house, climbing down the steps to the cellar. The former occupants now lived in the outside, entering places of business, assimilating in the weak human society. They were the forerunners, those who would placate mankind with their scientific, business, and military knowledge.  
  
After that, the assassins would come, those masking themselves as serial killers. Later, the majority of the Dominants would destroy the village, leaving the pillar behind for who would be alive to read it.  
  
This, however, would not be yet. They still had to train the Chosen those who would rule the survivors and the Chosen had to be able to not let family or friends get in their way. Perhaps the weak baby would be better off outside.  
  
At last, he opened a small door, and found a cellar. Inside it were dusty bottles of wine, old books, and a round metallic box. On opening it, he found a film. Now all was needed was a movie projector.  
  
This meant he had to go to the nearest town and get one. His father had been smart. Most of the electronics in the village were ultra modern. This film was too valuable.  
  
He could not return home, that is, until he found out what it was. 


	2. PLANS CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER TWO  
  
An hour later, he reached the town with its red tiled roofs, it's plaza with the statute of Pancho Villa (he had slept there one night) and sneaked into the back of the movie theatre with its posters of the latest film direct from Mexico City and a subtitled one about seven Gringos coming to help an oppressed village. He waited until the last of the patrons left the cinema and went to their houses.  
  
John did not have to worry about the townspeople noticing him. His father had Mexican citizenship and the family name, Sedona. Whether there was a real Sedona, John was unsure of. It was a name his father made up, and the birth certificates as well as the visas were so perfect as to fool even the slightest eye of the sharp eyed Mexican federal official. Most Dominants were like that, except for the Chameleons, who took on the last names of those they replaced. They made up a family name, depending on their looks, a landmark, an event, or a character to emulate. However, the last one was becoming unpopular. Being called Wolf did no good, when humans expected you not to have the intelligence and viciousness of such creatures, but the inability to speak, or make informed decisions.  
  
At two in the morning, the lights of the cinema turned off, and those of the people who watched the show, returned to their homes. It took no little effort for John to open the door, and enter the projection booth. Moving boxes and shelves from the wall, he soon had it bare enough to focus the light.  
  
He shut the door, and put on the reel, turning on the projector.  
  
The figures on the wall screen were in black and white, and spoke in British accents. They sat around a large table, sipping tea.  
  
A pale man with receding hairline got up to speak. "Chaps, This Hitler has just written a book called Mein Kampf,"  
  
The audience protested and the speaker waved them down.  
  
"Already, propaganda has gone out among the German people, favoring a blonde blue eyed Nordic type. In certain areas, because the present government would crack down, places are set aside where those German girls of the desired qualities are questioned for their fertility. We don't know whether this Hitler is starting a new army or what."  
  
"Posh and Tommy rot old man, you shouldn't believe everything."  
  
"I bloody well believe this. He prefers every German to look Siegfried and Brunhilda, blonde, tall, blue eyed."  
  
"Do you mean that he might kill anyone not resembling that type?" asked a woman.  
  
"Yes or sterilization. Hitler according to this regards the Jews as subhuman. Anyone resembling that type that is with dark hair and eyes would be in danger of extinction. "  
  
"But it is just a book. What are we going to do?"  
  
"We've started a counter program to breed individuals by arranged marriages, and unions, to produce men and women able to defeat this Hitler chap."  
  
"And ride through the skies to Valhalla; wear horned helmets and all that. You're joshing with us!"  
  
The man at the head of the table smiled. "I bloody well am not. The typical Siegfried and Brunhilda lived at a time when life was harder. Most died at childbirth, that is those who looked like modern man and woman. However, we were able to isolate the necessary subjects."  
  
"For that," said a woman, "we need to go around the world."  
  
"No, what we need is to recruit those from nations who have been invaded numerous times, England, Italy, Spain, and France."  
  
"What about America?" asked another man.  
  
"America is still young. We have distinctive racial types there and even partial racial types."  
  
John sneered. This was in the thirties. How stupid the people were then.  
  
"But wouldn't we go back to distinctive colors, a pure Negro, a pure Nordic, for instance?" asked the woman.  
  
"No. It would take too long for the process. A mixture of Romans, Anglo Saxons, Celts, and Scandinavians, for instance, populates England. We have a different mixture in Italy and a different mixture in Spain and France. By selecting certain men and women in the areas with the highest survival rate, we will have our super being."  
  
"And what do you hope to accomplish?"  
  
"Did you read Genesis 6: 'And there were mighty men, men of renown.' Only we're not going to recreate Cain's nature. We're going to recreate the perfect physique, the perfect mind."  
  
"Are you a volunteer? And why can't they let nature take its course."  
  
"I cannot, and for the second question. Men and women of high ability often love themselves too much, or because of envy, ordinary people avoid them. So they settle for relationships in the dark and affairs. I have used other methods."  
  
He explained in detail. Not all children conceived survived and not all still born babies perished in the womb because of mental or physical defect. Some babies were of such physical perfection that they should have lived, but did not. In the human race, the fastest sperm made it, but it might not be the strongest. They were going to inject the females in the group with the strongest sperm of their mates and make sure that the offspring survived. For that, the women might have to remain in bed for most of their pregnancy or monitored whenever trouble arose. They would have get oxygen tanks, and other equipment. It would cost money, and with war looming, it would be hard, but they had to combat the Nazi breeding program.  
  
The film jumped a few years, and to a different location. Several young people boarded a ship led by a few older men and women. John recognized the leader of the older men as the speaker. He had lost what remained of his hair and his hands were crippled with arthritis.  
  
John made a mental note of the ages, noting that all the young women were pregnant. The oldest dominants would still be in their mother's wombs at that time.  
  
He had found the true origin of their species.  
  
It did not take him long to recognize his ancestor in the boy with the green eyes and dark brown hair. The film ended abruptly.  
  
John took the film, hid it back in the metal can, and walked back to the village. If this got out, the reason for survival would be changed. No more would it be them against the humans, no more evolution, the survival of the fittest, for but the humans themselves made us, he thought.  
  
The so called humans or inferiors were experimenting with other forms of recording, but so far only the television studios were able to use them. The dominants, on the other hand, were further advanced.  
  
Already they had the VHS and Beta format, although a more secure version, not as fragile, and holding much more information. It would not be until the l990s that the rest of the civilized world would get a comparable medium.  
  
At that time, the Dominants were already trying what would be later known as recordable DVDs, smaller than what is used now, but with more material and able to be recorded over and over indefinitely. This was, unless one ran a certain ray over it, and then the last recording became permanent. As for the indefinite recording, one could go back and regain the formerly recorded material. It made spying and selling information to enemies, much more difficult.  
  
John wondered what happened to his ancestor, the human one. He dared not ask upright. The penalty for those who disobeyed was death and John wanted to live a very long time.  
  
Being of a rather intelligent race makes for ingenuity, John inserted small listening devices around the leader's houses, but that was a failure. He had to use boldness, to ask the leaders directly or to hint that he knew what had happened.  
  
His father had come home, helping with the others their plan to scatter into the United States and other parts of the North and South American continent 


	3. PLANS CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER THREE  
  
As one of the Dominant middle class, John felt no fear in entering the Hall of the Council, or the Councila. The Councila was a large room containing the several large black slabs that the Dominants used as beds, a large metallic table, kidney shaped, and chairs equal in number to the slabs. A machine with a large screen and a metallic rectangular board with several indentations sat on the metallic table. Besides it were several controls that looked like remotes only in appearance, but the men were not interested in these.  
  
"To him who will rule the humans in the land they call Nevada," said one.  
  
They took up their cups. "May he be ruthless in the extermination of the humans," said another and turned to a white haired man on his left, "Lewis, it is your duty to education the child. Teach him so that the humans will look on him with fear." He handed him a metallic tube. "The seal of the Council given to the Supreme Mentor."  
  
Lewis took it with deliberate slowness. "The Council is wise. We will rule in the kingdom of man!"  
  
They echoed his last sentence in unison and then called John over.  
  
"John the son of Paul Sedona, we are pleased to see you. Come," said the man who referred to Nevada, "we have perfected the Controllers. Your father will need one for his pet, his Favorite. I know she bore you, but she is human still the same and must be restrained. Pressing the blue indentation does not cause as much pain as the older one, a little sting. We will set it to her personal DNA." He proceeded to adjust it. "When your father returns, we will need the receiver for its new setting." He motioned to the door and a human male dressed in a shirt and light trousers came in carrying another chair. This latter did not tremble, so for that reason he was free from the usual torture and experimentation. However it appeared that his attitude was not from bravery but because he was trying to edge his captors to hurry up and kill him. They did not comply. After arranging the chairs, and complaining that "you take so many of my workers away, everyone will notice when their children do not return because you steal so many of them," the human left.  
  
The Council ignored him with benign tolerance and turned their attention to John.  
  
"We should grant him his wish," said Lewis.  
  
"No, those humans who we allow to live and serve us are useful. Those in the new Chameleon program must learn to react to human emotions. If a Chameleon can tolerate that slave's outburst, he can successfully infiltrate the society of the homo sapiens," said 'Nevada'.  
  
"Our ancestors the humans," John said sitting in the company of the leaders who had just welcomed the birth of a new chosen, "were weak. I suppose that is why we exterminated them."  
  
The glare of Lewis penetrated his soul, but John continued, "I observe no one considered old around here. If our human ancestors were all alive, there should be at least two or three."  
  
"Yes," said Roderick, one of the leaders, "they are no longer alive. Few have figured that out, but you." He arose. "I will show you something, but do not tell anyone about it. Get a couple of shovels."  
  
John agreed.  
  
The two walked for a while into the desert, the hot sun blazing on their shoulders. There was not much except a few pueblos abandoned by their owners, the remnants of farm implements hidden in the dried grass.  
  
"We will have to dig here," Roderick said, pointing to a clump of brush.  
  
It did not take long. The skulls and skeletons were arranged in such a way, that John knew they were still alive when they were buried. Some of the figures sat, others on their knees, and the boned fingers clutched upwards as if they were silently screaming.  
  
"But how could they not escape?" asked John and then he knew. Around each ankle was a broad metal band, and attached to it a chain. All the chains led to a large metal post that he saw Roderick loosen from the dirt.  
  
"We knocked some unconscious, others we drugged, and then drove out in a covered truck, and chained them after digging a hole deep enough. We waited for them to be awake, to show that we were superior, and that no one, not any humans can deign to teach us anything."  
  
"Did any escape?"  
  
"There was one. It seemed he was in the communications center. We had to shoot him. We made it look like he was relayed by robbers." Roderick got up. "We must cover the bodies again. Get your shovel."  
  
The ghastly work was completed. The older man and the boy who was not a boy returned.  
  
The next day, John converted the film to a disc, not unlike the present DVD. He made several copies, not yet deciding on which ones to keep or which ones to send off.  
  
He would need one for himself, and one he would bury near the sacred post. One he would send off with a fake address to the United States. He knew the humans still used the tape format and by sending it off to a large city, the package would remain in the Dead Letter Office, often for years, while the postal employees searched for the address.  
  
So the waiting began, as John matured, the dominants scattered to their respective places, and the Chosen were sent out on their mission of intimidation and murder. 


	4. PLANS CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FOUR  
  
The late nineteen nineties approached. John had already sixteen children, in equal amounts of girls and boys. They in turn had children of their own, and these children had children of their own. Since the girls were ready to produce at nine, it is no wonder that John was now a great grandfather and about to become a great great grandfather.  
  
By this time, most of the Dominants were scattered in Lower California, California, New Mexico, Nevada, and Texas, with the majority in California. They lived in the major cities in formerly abandoned houses which they bought for cash and fixed up. They lived in houses in the country. They lived in the caves or just camped out and disappeared when the highway patrol or sheriff started snooping around. The only thing they did not do was to live in small towns. The humans of such places would be too curious about a family consisting of at least six geniuses and when the Dominants left their place of residence, they would set it on fire, blaming it on what arsonist was busy in that particular area. .  
  
The Council had made contact with the Lost Dominants of New England but it was a tenuous contact at best. The New England ones, being persecuted by a mysterious human organization, were reluctant to join up. The only one the Council had any success with was the Advocate, but he was half crazy because of a family curse so said one of the Dominants who had become a Roman Catholic Priest (and therefore now able to make legal the unions between eight year old girls and ten year old boys.)  
  
John had put a Los Angles address on the disc, thinking that they would not be able to decipher it, even though the humans had finally invented dvds, the same method which the dominants knew back in the nineteen fifties. He lived in one of the caves, hidden on the outskirts of the city. It was not primitive. They had a form of electricity and light that depended not on wires. They worked and lived there using their black slabs to sleep on, their hydroponics to grow their vegetables, and small cages to raise their animals. As for discovery, the Dominants set up an alarm system and in a few minutes, they could move everything behind walls constructed to look like the walls of a cave. So far, there had been a few close calls, but none to worry about.  
  
Only those in the Chameleon program lived in the houses and apartments preferred by humans. The rest lived like John, camping out, living in the caves, and attacking and killing any humans who came too close.  
  
Because the Dominant program was growing and the new Progenies raised by human parents were coming home, the Dominants had set up two private schools, one in the Los Angeles area and one in Connecticut for the Lost Dominants under the tutelage of Charles the son of Lewis. Only the Dominants knew their location. They did not want the humans to know their location because then they would have to obey the laws of the humans as to affirmative action and few of the Dominants, with the exception of Marcus, who had a West Indian in his ancestry, were black.  
  
The son of Paul Sedona heard about the Chosen one, Tom Daniels and his choice of that Sloan Parker as a potential mate. John was not surprised. These human women had a primitive intelligence about them.  
  
John figured he would do the usual, kill a few humans, steal their money, and use it to buy property.  
  
However, Roderick had another idea. "You are not only a Progeny, able to persuade the humans and fool them without them being aware, but you are the true son of your father. Because of the human female, his pet, his Favorite, your father is not able to enter the human world like you. You expressed a desire to photograph the humans, use their media to fool them." He handed him a tape. "A primitive mechanism, some of our work, not completed. Just enough to wet the appetite of the humans. We have bought a house for you. You will take your mate, and six of your children of different ages. Your name appears Spanish or Italian so they will expect a large family."  
  
John was like Paul, both had a persuasiveness about them. John was to give bits of information, just enough to wet the curiosity of the humans, just enough so that they, the superior ones, could take over. "Are you sure that the humans will not take this to its conclusion?"  
  
"Only their most brilliant minds will ever come close. The city of Los Angeles, the area they call Hollywood will be your stalking ground. Most have to be trained since childhood for the Chameleon program, but you John son of Paul Sedona, are a natural and because of that Attwood..." His voice rose in anger, not noticeable to humans, but a Dominant like John, knew that Roderick was about to explode.  
  
Walters had foiled them, by announcing his knowledge of the Homo Dominants, the name the Homo Sapiens called them and buried in a village in Mexico, in his former house, and in a post office was the knowledge that they were in reality brothers.  
  
The death of the peace faction rebel leader and the capture of Lewis did not surprise him. Dominants were such fools when they did not follow the plan. John had all the time in the world, that is, until certain events happened.  
  
First the humans captured Tom Daniels, the Chosen, Oklahoma happened and the bombing of the World Trade Center. True, the latter still stood, but it was a matter of time before some maniac blew it to pieces and what of the disc in the dead letter office? Was it safe? Already the FBI had postal inspectors searching for suspicious packages. John had to get the disc, before they found it and he was in a position to do it. .  
  
Perhaps, it would keep Tom alive, for John had heard that certain individuals in the human government, namely a human female who drove a black limousine, wanted a Dominant dissected to study their anatomy, probe their DNA, and find their weaknesses... True, the Dominants had done the same to their captives, but it was for the extermination of the weaker species, not to learn from them and besides by giving the corpse of his mate to Sloan to study, Tom Daniels had already shown the superiority of the Dominants, their ability to breed at eight or nine, the four uteruses, their high brain function—to show the humans they did not stand a chance. They were doomed.  
  
Tom did not tell Sloan about the Progeny program, but then he was to be the Supreme Chosen, the ruler of all Dominants. Such mundane work was left to the Council, the governing body of the Dominants.  
  
John was now in Los Angeles. After showing photographs of a project certain scientists were working on, he decided to leave the studio and go to the Post Office. He waited in the shadows until a postal employee, about his height and build, came out. A quick snap of the neck, and the Disposer, no one knew that the employee ever lived. It might be added, that John, having studied the list of employees, knew that this particular man was a bachelor, a drifter, his parents dead, and no one would miss him. Besides this particular employee was quitting.  
  
The other employees just gave him a goodbye, and wish you luck, Bill. John replied as Bill would have done, with a grunt, and made his way to the dead letter office where Bill had worked. He knew what to look for, and how to make it look as if nothing was disturbed. Searchng through the piles, he found a package with several Mexican stamps. That was it!  
  
Now who do I send it to? He went back to his house, going onto his room, he turned on the television. He heard the announcer announce, "Now a repeat of this new newsbreaking story, and watched the heavy set, and not handsome man announce, "We will call the new species, Homo Dominant." Underneath was a name and inscription, which John was sure had been put on by the station afterwards.  
  
Going to a government telephone book (the former owner had been killed by the Dominants), John found the address, some bubble wrap, and several stamps.  
  
April 2, 2003 


	5. PLANS CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER FIVE  
  
Sloan paced the room in her new apartment. It was cold and severe, not like the homey place she had lived in, but she could not go back there without getting unwanted attention. She had seen the heavies of the men who ambushed the peace meeting, watching, and a certain black car kept driving by periodically. She had managed to take her blanket, but that was all. Where was Walter and Ed? It had been days since Tom was captured, and they now had a plan to rescue him, but Attwood said he was waiting for a contact, a contact from where? thought Sloan. .  
  
Hearing the doorbell ring, and thinking they had returned, she answered the door but all she saw as a stocky young man with liquid brown eyes, wearing the uniform of the Postal Delivery service and holding a large brown package in one hand and a clipboard in the other. .  
  
"Excuse me, Miss, I'm looking for a Walter Attwood," he said.  
  
"No one here by that name,"  
  
"But I went to his former place, and then his place of employment. I'm sure he's here. That's what that boy told me."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"A young man. I think his name was Shane. Anyway he ran off before I could ask him anything." He turned around to see two men, a heavier set older man with glasses and a goatee, not that handsome, and a younger man a little more tolerable in appearance. Attwood and Tate had returned.  
  
"There's a parcel for you," said Sloan to Walter.  
  
He took it from the Postal Employee. It had several Mexican stamps on it, and the date looked at least thirty years old. Someone had made sure it was secure by the tape used, and the letters and address were neatly printed. After the delivery man left, Walter opened the parcel, taking out the DVD and the small note which said, "I thought you might be interested."  
  
They had to scrounge around for a DVD player. After all, this was back around 1998, and they were not as common as now. Finally, they sat around, listening to the scientists, seeing them getting on the ship, and all what John had seen.  
  
"Do you know what this means?" asked Sloan.  
  
"It puts the theory of evolution to shame," said Ed, "I wonder if the 1.6rs know."  
  
"If they did, and it came out that our great grandparents and grandparents were reproducing people to fight the Nazis, then it would put us on the same plane as them."  
  
"You mean the Dominants?"  
  
"No the Nazis. It would hurt to find that we think like them."  
  
"I don't think so," said Walter, "the Nazis were in favor of world domination as were the Japanese prior to Nineteen Forty Five. They probably had a project like this, but probably killed all who worked on it." He shuffled through some files. "Yes here it is. Hasn't been put on the computer yet. Got this from a friend of mine, actually sort of a great uncle. Prisoner of War."  
  
Sloan and Ed read the file. The hand that wrote it was shaky and what they read filled them with horror. "Gene splicing. Unarmed prisoners sent out in the jungle to be hunted down by Japanese youth. One's who killed the most given special privileges, women brought to the camp."  
  
"Fortunately the U.S. Marines got there before any further damage was done. They had to take the children to a special school. Too dangerous to be in society. Too dangerous to reproduce."  
  
He handed them another paper, written in Japanese with a picture of a Buddhist Monastery. "It seemed that the children, the male children were persuaded to take vows of celibacy. The Japanese government put a lid down on them. They did not want a repeat of World War Two either."  
  
:"And the girls?" asked Sloan.  
  
"Not that many of them. It seemed they had sort of a trial by combat. The fittest survived and then she blew herself up when the Japanese police closed in on her."  
  
Ed almost gagged.  
  
They looked at the wrapping of the package. The postmark was from a village near Oaxaca, the general area where the Dominants originated. Ed went to the Mexican Official site, learning that this particular village no longer existed, but the official line was that economic hard times came and the people were now dispersed in the nearest cities or towns. He examined the printing once more, so neat almost as if someone had used a machine, but on close scrutiny it was hand written, each letter and number done to such perfection that only the ink used gave it away.. Only a Dominant could be that careful. Yes, somewhere in Mexico, a Dominant dared to tell the truth.  
  
"Do you what this means?" asked Sloan.  
  
"What?" Ed looked at her.  
  
"It means there might be peace between our two species or sub species."  
  
They could only hope. 


	6. PLANS CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SIX  
  
Hope was not an option. Attwood examined the DVD and then made a telephone call to London.  
  
"Hello Roger, it's me Attwood. Do you recall your grandfather telling you about the Aryan ideal the Nazis were working on?—Yes I realize that, but your grandfather knew the risk when he volunteered. Your great grandmother was German, he spent his holidays in Hamburg. Now, I just found out that the Allies were working on a counter production of their own, creating a group in a similar vein." He waited for ten minutes. The one on the other end did not hang up the telephone. "Yes I can make a copy. By the looks of it, it doesn't have a Country Classification. I'll get on it right away."  
  
The Company that convert DVDS for other countries, was only to glad to help. Meanwhile Sloan and Ed examined the original, and the effect it would have on the theory that Dominants were a higher form of human beings.  
  
"If we were there from the beginning, how come there's no evidence of it?" asked Sloan, looking over the section where the man talked about the still born children.  
  
"You heard of Cain, haven't you?" asked Ed, "sent out on the world with a mark on his face. Built a city, and then Lamech his descendant, killed a youth who probably just touched his arm when passing. Sounds like Dominant behavior to me."  
  
"The Bible's all theory, Evolution is fact." .  
  
"I was raised on the Bible since I was a kid. Besides it makes sense. The first Dominants were born from human beings. They came from Mexico. They were for the most part Caucasian, Mark being the exception but then one of his ancestors could have come from the West Indies. And why didn't the other Europeans living in Mexico and in the same climate, change or give birth to Dominants? There had to be something more than a climatic change."  
  
"Well Walter should be back soon. He's sending a copy of the DVD off to England. A friend of his had a grandfather who worked in the War Office."  
  
"I didn't think Walter was that old," said Ed.  
  
"He isn't. He was the only child of an older couple. I heard that he used to belong to the Navy Seals, but got injured."  
  
"Okay I take back all I thought about him basking in other people's glory."  
  
They checked the return address on the parcel. If they could find out where this came from, they could find out the name of the Dominant who sent it and perhaps question him.  
  
"He could be like Shane," said Sloan.'  
  
"But then he could be like Lewis," said Ed, "They are quite ruthless. They don't do something unless it is for their advantage."  
  
That was true, but they had to try anyway. Sloan went to the computer, looking through the Mexican post offices, and finding someone in that particular area. He telephoned the Mexican police chief of that district and found most of the inhabitants disappeared, leaving the town deserted. That is, until a few years later, when the areas around the town suddenly became inhabited. He assumed the original townspeople were returning. Of course, if they stayed away, he would not blame them. The rurales had found a few scattered bone fragments. They did not have the technology of the United States, but found that these were quite recent and by the knife cuts, bullet holes, and teeth marks, had died a horrible death. The Rurales also found some of the bones had been crushed, and when one was sent to the Lab at Mexico City, they determined the victim had been alive at the time.  
  
They waited for Attwood's return, keeping an eye on the street. Limousine Lady's goons were out there. It had been difficult to sneak the equipment past their eyes. Both Sloan and Ed had to sell some of their furniture to purchase the necessary computers and Attwood had telephoned a friend who used to live in Vermont for a favor. His friend had a cousin who was in the Marines who knew someone in the Pentagon who knew someone who knew someone else. In other words, it would take some time to get things ready for Tom's rescue.  
  
Sloan telephoned Ray using a secure line and told him where they were. So far Attwood's former employer had not spotted them. They assumed that Ed and Sloan were a young married couple who had just rented the apartment. Sloan's hair felt itchy after wearing that wig and it felt like hours taking off that blonde makeup. Ed had a rash from removing that fake nose and cheek piece, and he still felt off balance.  
  
"I don't want to go through it again," she said.  
  
"Dominos Pizza!" The door bell rang.  
  
"Quick Sloan, hide. I'll get my gun."  
  
The door opened. "Sloan? Ed?"  
  
They took one look and laughed out loud. "Ray, come in!" said Ed, "it looks like the uniform's too tight."  
  
"It's the best I could do," he said, handing them a large box in a red covering, "Wait here:" He signaled to another man and handed him the cover, and several small bills. "Thanks Bill."  
  
"Bill's father is a policeman like myself. He's also a stock car driver in his spare time. He'll have no trouble eluding those creeps. So are we go on rescuing Tom?"  
  
Ed explained about the DVD. Attwood was right now making a copy. He should have been back by now, and they were worried. It had been two hours.  
  
"It takes time to make a copy," said Ray, "In the meantime, how are we going to rescue Tom?"  
  
"Attwood knows someone, a former Navy man, well he was out of it for a while, because of a bone injury. Now, he's back in," said Ed.  
  
"Actually, I can tell it myself," said Attwood. He had two men with him.one a Navy officer, the other a civilian, and a boy of around seven."  
  
Wednesday, April 09, 2003 


	7. PLANS CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER SEVEN  
  
The Navy officer remained nameless although he did mention his first name, Carl which did not help them since there were many Carls, Carlos's, and Karls. He was of medium height and had medium brown hair and gray eyes, unlike his brother who had long light brown hair and hazel eyes. His name was Enrique and he would explain everything.  
  
Still they looked enough alike, the same face shape, and the same cold expressions. Walter explained that Carl had been injured in the Vietnamese war, and Enrique worked in the Navy base as an accountant and was an auditor for the IRS so it was only natural that they were not that cordial. The latter was a reserve officer, awaiting orders in case any conflict came up. Carl had been a career navy man, except for a twenty year period when he had a medical discharge.  
  
Ed tried to get them to donate a blood sample, just in case they were Dominants, but Enrique said that if his brother's identity was known, there would be a court martial. He also did the usual joke, "If I told you his name. We would have to kill you." He looked like he was capable of doing such a thing.  
  
"He's here unofficially," said Enrique, "along with his cousin who's gathering some loyal Marines from around here to help in the rescue you of your friend, but he's from Quantico."  
  
Ed realized that Enrique's brother did not tell him of the man recruiting a rescue force.  
  
"No names please," said the Navy man, "If someone were to find out and it get back to his Commander, he'd be in serious trouble."  
  
"Will he take part in the rescue?" asked Sloan who gave the boy a glass of orange juice and a peanut butter sandwich.  
  
He took it, giving her a wink that unnerved her. It reminded her of someone. "Thank you señorita," he said, "My name's Alexandro."  
  
"Buenas tardes, Alexandro."  
  
"Buenas tardes, señorita. Could I look at that magazine?" He pointed to the December issue of the Scientific Journal.  
  
"Yes, Alexandro. It might be a little hard for you."  
  
"No. Dad's been showing me his accounting books."  
  
In a moment he was observed in learning about the latest quantrum physics and Sloan repeated her last question.  
  
"Coordinating it" said Enrique,. "He's going to prosecute the thieves if he gets permission. After all it was Marine property that was stolen. Let me explain further. My brother's cousin is an officer in the Marines, a Judge Advocate. About a year ago, several pieces of valuable equipment went missing in one of the bases The NIS suspected a corporal who worked in the supply depot and my cousin was asked to defend him."  
  
Enrique told them that his cousin found the young man quite honest, had never even gotten a parking ticket, and a non delinquent. He would never have thought to do such a criminal act. On further investigation, it was found that other supply depots all over Eastern United States had the same problem. The Marine cousin received permission from JAG to look into it, but he was to leave the apprehension of the culprits to the local military authorities. Unfortunately, this was getting nowhere.  
  
"This continued for a couple of months, until he learned that a soldier visiting relatives in Nevada spotted a van with the back door open. He went to inform the couple, and found a package with the serial number of one of the stolen items in the back. They shoot him in the chest. Before he died, he managed to write the number of the license plate and the stolen item. The police called Pensacola who notified my cousin and he came right out." He took something from his pocket. "He was also able to describe the man who shot him."  
  
The note was splattered in blood, the handwriting shaky but legible. The soldier had managed to get the license number, and part of the serial number, but when he found he was dying, quickly drew a face and the uniform the man was wearing. It was not that good. The face could be anyone's but the insignia and the color and style only meant one thing and there was a distinctive mole on the cheek. JAG narrowed on that distinctive mole and located a doctor who treated pre cancerous conditions. The doctor gave them the name and location of his patient who worked near Area 51'  
  
The killer was one of the men who ambushed the peace group of the Dominants, but they already suspected that.  
  
"We need a CD," said Attwood, "and this code. " He handed it to Ed. "Just go to this website, enter the code and wait for the file to be downloaded. After that, just put it on this CD. After that make at least one copy for each of you, and two for my 'friends' here," He looked at Enrique and his brother. 


	8. PLANS CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER EIGHT  
  
While Ed, Sloan, and the group planned for the rescue of Tom, the Dominants were also on a similar course. Several, not affiliated with Marcus's peace group, had infiltrated the military, and the government. There had also been a few attacks on the most youthful members of the Dominant species and the Council had that on its mind as well as getting the Chosen out of the hands of the humans.  
  
When Sloan left her apartment, Lewis's family bought the whole building. The Council then selected one of its most loyal Chosen, Roderick who with his group, systematically killed off the tenants except for five small children, a boy of sixteen, and a girl of fourteen. These were gagged, blindfolded, and bound, awaiting their fate. The latter two looked quite healthy, especially the girl. If they survived, she would be a breeder for the Progeny program As for the boy and the small children, Roderick was undecided on whether to inject them with a toxic substance and see how long they took to die. The Dominants needed workers for the menial tasks more than subjects for experiments, but balked at the idea of putting large numbers in bondage. One or two like Paul's concubine was okay, having six extra working at building, cleaning refuse, and doing menial work was not.  
  
When they first killed humans, the Dominants used their teeth and hands until learning that one could just break a neck by snapping it sideways. That, however, was too easy. Poisoning their victims or using electric shock, beating them with metal pipes, crushing them beneath the wheels of a truck, or burying them alive was more satisfying.  
  
Roderick wanted to remove the gags, and listen to the captives scream while he killed them very slowly. However, they were in a large city and they did not want to be found.  
  
He called his men together. "These humans have thwarted us for too long. We have to kill them."  
  
"My daughter's among them," said Paul.  
  
"Then she should pay the consequences for siding with them."  
  
"You know that she is a Progeny. She can cloud their minds."  
  
"As well as that. You did save the human female Lupe and made her your Favorite, more than a pet, Paul. You even brought her along to warm your bed although she is getting to the age when her reproductive powers are diminishing. Do you have another suggestion?" His voice had a sarcastic ring to it.  
  
"We could make sure that no more of our offspring perish. We need the Advocate."  
  
For a vicious group, they paled. "I would not trust him. He is a rogue," said another Dominant.  
  
"But he can protect the children. Do you want another incident like the one where the human civilians burnt the nursery?"  
  
"An unfortunate accident. We did take over that human day care."  
  
"And Lena and Lisa the Second, Lisa Lar's two girls. Don't forget Benjamin who was in that Human high school, and Ray, Steven, Henrietta, Paula..." Paul continued on to list several more names. "Our children, dead in other incidents, very convenient for none of those places where they were had any trouble. It was if someone knew they were Dominants and targeted them. The Advocate can find the reason and eliminate it."  
  
"Very well," said Roderick, "we'll send for the Advocate, but remember the Chosen takes precedence. On second thought, we can have him send a brief and have the Counter make the necessary corrections"  
  
"We could call him the Accountant like the humans do,"  
  
"I'll speak to the council. That is the second suggestion, the first being the Auditor." He counted the nods. "Very well, instead of being called the Counter, the one in charge of all financial matters, will be called the Auditor and be sure the Audit Communicator or Calculator is fixed."  
  
That part over, Roderick went into his apartment, and sat before a machine resembling a computer, in that it had the usual screen, processor, and keyboard, but different. Usually, one typed on the keys, or pressed the Enter key, but this one was operated by voice, and not just a single man's voice, anyone could do it. It was so effective that you did not need a training period as with such software as VIA voice. It picked up tones almost as if picking one's thoughts. Roderick read the brief. "Dominant children killed. Targeted. Imput. Skills, Reasons,. Solve and imput." He waited until the voice on the other end which had a New Jersey accent asked,"Reasons. Clarify."  
  
Roderick went over in several reasons, brain storming them until the other man told him, "Fits. I'll have to modify the Book of the Dominants. You can wait a few minutes, can't you?"  
  
Roderick hated it when the Advocate did this, but he could not fault him for that. The Advocate was not only a Progeny but was a descendant of the Lost, those Dominants who never went to Oaxaca like the others. Roderick never understood why. He supposed that the climatic change happened there as well as here in Mexico. He refused to believe Paul's theory that the Dominants were here because of that war between the humans called the Allied forces and that Hitler Axis.  
  
The voice that came through told him to go to the Advocate compartment. Roderick said, "Advocate Compartment. Enter and process Book of the Dominants, Recent additions no sub title." He then waited for several papers to come out a machine and as the Dominants were advanced, they came out ready in book form complete with cover. "Advocate Compartment, process copies, five hundred of Book of the Dominants, recent modified edition. Delivery, Council, Chosen, School one and New School. Four on Disc, Personal Provider copy." He then went over to the book machine and waited. The five hundred copies came out, neatly piling into sections of one hundred each, the machine also bound them together Roderick waved his hands over a red indentation, and each went through five different doors and in five different vans, each bound for the particular locations.  
  
Now Roderick pressed a different indentation, this one blue and waited until the same material came out, this time on a DVD which the Dominants had perfected. After that was done, he pressed a green indentation, and inserted a Pocket PC or E-book. A few flashes, and it was done. He then closed off the machine. He did not need to do anymore. By putting his Pocket PC close to another, the correct information could be duplicated .  
  
The Dominants had invented or improved on several inventions attributed to humans, but such were in the hands of the military. The New Species were very selective as to who could use these, and who were worthy opponents and where they had put their Chameleons. In time, the humans would claim credit, or rather a human who was really a Dominant. It would take years before the homo sapiens (as the Lost Dominants called them) realized that the discovery of many new improvements was no accident. At present, a certain aircraft had attained speeds no one had done before, a certain aircraft improved by Dominant science. Even though he vowed eternal hatred of the humans, Roderick wanted their adulation when the time came.  
  
Roderick had another plan: To bring the Lost Dominants into the fold.  
  
He was just about to get back to the group when a Dominant of the lowest classes knocked and bowed. "Attwood's spoken with a Roger Carmichael, grandson of Captain Alfred Carmichael about our ancestors. They had a tape, one like those found by John, the son of Paul Sedona."  
  
"We must stop this thing. Assemble the others. Wait." He pushed past the man. "Have you any information? Speak."  
  
"The female human Sloan that The Chosen amused himself with, and her friends are planning to rescue him. The Chameleon that works in the British Intelligence says that Carmichael is sending them a file about the Lost Dominants."  
  
Roderick arose. "Then we must stop them. Get the Interceptors on immediately."  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
"Hurry and maybe I will grant you your freedom."  
  
"You never kept your promise before." He was too much in debt thanks to his father. The Dominants had been isolated for too long, that they were at first no match for the gambling tables of Las Vegas until they made certain corrections to the slot machines. 


	9. PLANS CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER NINE  
  
Unaware the Dominants were monitoring his actions; Ed entered the code and pressed the download button. It consisted of several files, for Attwood's British friend did not want to take chances. The doctor made a separate folder, and put each completed file in it, making sure the folder was on a second hard drive.  
  
He had just started on the fifth file when the internet connection slowed down. "Looks like someone's trying to break in. I'll try to stop them. Meanwhile someone use the dial up. Files nine, and seven are quite small."  
  
Sloan got on, entered the code. "It'll take quite some time," she said.  
  
"I'm working on it." He pressed the keys, scrolled through, trying to find the intruder. "It's not a regular hacker. I'll check for any unusual extensions, a Trojan horse."  
  
Meanwhile, Sloan started on the seventh file. "It's coming through."  
  
"Good. I'll try downloading the others all at once. You start on nine. I hope the machine can take it." He started on the others, setting it so that it would close once the download was complete. "It looks like they're searching for the other files. I'll move them around. Can't put them on CD until they're all here. I'll zip them up and password protect them. Good just the one."  
  
Half an hour later, Ed disconnected the internet connection.. "Now no one will get in." When they were finished, they had the complete program on a CD.  
  
"Interesting," said Carl who looked over their shoulders, "Imagine the Allies have a plan like that."  
  
"No wonder the Dominants were after it."  
  
"Do you think it was them? Who are these Dominants anyway?"  
  
"New Species, 1.6, instead of the 1 of us humans. Vicious, intelligent and dedicated to our destruction," said Sloan.  
  
"Could be Aliens."  
  
Ed explained about the Dominants to the two brothers who were not surprised, but after all Carl mentioned Aliens and he was a Navy man, meaning he was probably familiar with Project Bluebook, strange crafts, and weird things popping in the night.  
  
"If you believed these were a highly evolved human, the next level of humanity, that Cd tells another story," said Enrique.  
  
"You know as well as I that back in the thirties and forties, they were doing a lot of experiments that would be considered illegal," said Carl, "I wonder if any of the Aliens I met were a result of such. Sounds like something out of the X Files."  
  
"Let's see," said Ed, "removing the fast acting sperm, just letting the stronger and slower ones fertilize the eggs. How much did that cost? In dollars?"  
  
"At that time over a million dollars. I won't tell you how much it would be now," said Enrique.  
  
"You figured that out that fast?"  
  
"I'm an accountant. I'd say the theory on evolution just got shot full of holes. It also explains these Dominants developing in a short of period instead of the usual ten thousand or million years. Doesn't seem to be mutations either. What do you say Doctor Tate?"  
  
It took at least one hundred to one thousand sperm to try to fertilize one egg. The faster ones made it, followed by the defective ones. "Remove the damaged ones, and the chance of a perfect child increases. Remove the fast ones, as well as the damaged ones, and the only ones left are the slower stronger ones, but you need to know a woman s ovulation cycle to be successful. Let's see how that works," said Ed making a chart and posting it on the wall. "Now you can see what happens. The fast ones are ahead, followed by the damaged ones. These latter are incapable of fertilize the eggs. Therefore they must have a purpose, —to prevent the slower ones from succeeding."  
  
"I thought the slower ones were the damaged ones," said Attwood.  
  
"No. If you look at this enlarged drawing, the fast sperm and the slow sperm are the same, just the tales are different. I think we just solved the Dominant problem. "  
  
"But what about a Dominant female and a human male? Wouldn't his faster sperm overcome the slower ones?"  
  
Ed took out a Petri dish. "I took this from the corpse of a Dominant male. You notice the absence of damaged sperms. Do you see how they travel? The fast ones dart about. This explains the damaged ones. They kept the slower ones from approaching so one of the fast ones could make it. But notice that the fast sperm is still trying to penetrate the egg while the slower ones move like the Tortoise and the Hare."  
  
"That still doesn't explain about one of us getting with a Dominant female."  
  
"Well I would suppose that her system would be receptive to the slower sperm. If there were a case, I'd be very interested. Anyone know a guy who dated Delilah Queen of Bondage?"  
  
"Too bad we don't have the originals to find out what happened," said Sloan.  
  
The Cd also had the record of a couple killed in a bomb explosion along with their unborn child back in England. Rather than eight couples to a boat, the quota should have been ten couples. Ed did a fast calculation which was not as fast as Enrique who stated that, "Originally one hundred and sixty people, or eighty couples. Remove thirty two people and that leaves one hundred and twenty eight. Killed?"  
  
Ed examined the Cd. It showed no record of foul play, just the wrong place and the wrong time. He told them he assumed that the couples were matched and if a male of a couple was killed, and the female of the other also died, they might not be able to match the surviving two.  
  
"It all depends on how closely related or similar gene construction is. They would be more than extra careful and prevent marriages not only of first cousins, but of people originating from the same district and you have to consider that someone would mistake this as a Nazi infiltration plot." he said.  
  
This explained how the authorities moved the groups from Central London to a remote part of England to prevent any further decimation, and just in time for the corpse of the unborn child, a girl, showed the beginnings of four uteruses.  
  
According to the scientific community, this started a buzz, for many of the members were Church goers. They started to look for ancient corpses and were largely unsuccessful because of time and dampness and because the Egyptians removed the internal organs of their mummies and most of the corpses in Northern and European territories were men. Still they persisted until they found one of the oldest corpses of a female, dated around twenty thousand BC It appeared she had four uteruses as well, but it was not in as good a shape, being buried under tons of sand. They found nothing else.  
  
"So this means that suddenly the Dominants lived along side humans and then they disappeared," said Attwood, "do you know of that period?"  
  
"Twenty thousand BC?. The Earth is not that old," said Carl, "The flood occurred around 3000 BC. The date of the corpse is incorrect. From 3000 to 2000 BC, life was very hard and violence a way of life. Anything before 3000 BC would have been crushed or twisted by the waters .and everyone died except for Noah and his family."  
  
"You believe that stuff?" asked Sloan.  
  
"Yes. Makes perfect sense. We see corpses all the time. I know how long it takes one to decay. You know why the Egyptians took elaborate precautions to preserve their dead. Preserved the skeletons as well. At Twenty thousand BC, there would be nothing left."  
  
"For a Navy officer, you know a lot," said Ray.  
  
Carl ignored him. "I think that this woman must have been one of the last descendants of Cain. How old was the corpse by the way?"  
  
"About sixty or seventy. Quite young if what you say is correct."  
  
"Yes," said Carl, "Sin grew, causing those damaged sperm, evil, and turnips. Could be that's why you're not these Dominants."  
  
"And how long before the damaged sperm appear in the Dominants?" asked Ed, amused at the Captain's reference to turnips rather than the usual thorns and thistles. .  
  
"Probably never. We're dealing with sixty four couples, not just a few first people who married their sisters, then their half sisters. These Dominants do not need to. That gives them an advantage," said Sloan, "What else does the Cd say?"  
  
"It's a copy of a telegram from a Captain Boulders of the RAF who was on one of the eight ships. He saw one ship being steered towards the New England coast into a storm. He tried to radio them, but couldn't get an answer. Another ship volunteered to go get them. Boulders ordered them to signal back when it found out what happened. He never received an answer for two days, and then decided to catch up with the others."  
  
That meant only one thing, there were Dominants in New England. 


	10. PLANS CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER TEN  
  
Having failed to intercept the files, the Dominants under Roderick decided to follow or join up with Attwood's group. Paul proposed the second, figuring a temporary truce by them and not those peace loving rebels would be more to their advantage and keep the humans off their guard.  
  
"And then we can kill them later," said Roderick.  
  
"But not that Sloan," said Paul, "For a human, she has good genes. Perfect as a pet for the Chosen or a Favorite or if they suggest a way for our groups to co exist, to go through the Official Union." He read Roderick's glare. "No not as Marcus's group does suggest, peaceful coexistence, but what has been done by the Chameleons, in power and strength. How many times have the humans failed in their medical and military endeavors? They need us. Now what do you think of the revisions in the Book?"  
  
The other Dominants felt that not calling their mates, mates out in public, was a testimony to fear, until Roderick mentioned "It will protect their offspring. The humans use the terms mating for the lower animals, those who are indiscriminate in their choice of partners."  
  
The ceremonies of the Official Union and the Official Joining was already in place, the former for equal Dominants, the latter for Dominants who had human or Dominant female captives. The latter were survivors of Dominant raids on the rebel groups, or children of parents who disobeyed minor Dominant Council rules. Most of the Dominants, however, just took their mate or searched each other out.  
  
"This will mean that these would have to undergo the Official Union and that the females take the rank or class of their men," said Roderick, "I'll notify the other groups and find out if there are any of the Sacred Officials to perform the ceremony. For now, we will make it retroactive to nine months before the birth of their first children and only to those presently united."  
  
"Good. Now we have to rescue the Chosen and what of these?" A Dominant female pointed to the teenagers and the children. She was about the same as the older boy, but her eyes showed a cold calculating viciousness.  
  
"You wanted to get in the Progeny program. You can have him. Arthur, you have the girl. Keep them gagged. I don't want to hear them scream." Roderick took out a disposer, threatening the younger children with it, who cowered in terror except for one small boy who glared at him. "I think I'll let you live." He pulled him out of the group and facing the remaining children, pressed the indentation. It was set at extinction. Nothing remained, not even a pile of ashes. "Then we follow the favorite of the Chosen. She'll lead us to them."  
  
But that was not to be. A few minutes later, a woman rushed in the door asking for Paul. "Esta Anna," she said, "John has found her."  
  
"Where?"  
  
The woman made a slight bow to the others who ignored her. . "He was doing some cinema work for este Cinema Company Norté Americano, but no more dinero, nada.. This Mexican Company wanted him to do some shoots for a bi country production, part in Vera Cruz and the other part in New Mexico and Nevada. Vamos he went up y sees Anna as one of the actrizes."  
  
Paul turned to Roderick. "I can't go with you."  
  
"Area Cinquenta Uno," said the woman, "Space ships. Secret tests."  
  
Paul just smiled. "Space ships, Human fantasies. Come." He motioned to the woman.  
  
"Good," said the leader, "I'm heading to San Francisco, Saul is going to San Bernadino, Otto east, Martin, south. Arthur and Pamela will head for Nevada when they're finished. The Council has called the other factions. If you see one, join them and look for your daughter later."  
  
.  
  
5/10/2003 


	11. PLANS CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN  
  
Finding Dominants in New England was not the Captain's priority and he argued in a rather calculating manner that the missing supplies included some rather highly technical equipment, and Tom Daniels could be connected with their theft..  
  
'But humanity is in danger," said Ray, "and my wife and son. What about your wife and daughters?"  
  
Carl fumed. Why did these blacks assume that they had the monotony on sons? "Boys run in my family. I have only one daughter, extremely spoiled. Fortunately she's married and living in Rio, no doubt running her husband ragged, charging things on the family credit card. Say, maybe we should revive that old Roman custom of exposing baby girls in rubbish heaps so that us whites have just as much boys as you," said Carl.  
  
Ray almost turned gray, but Ed calmed him. "I think you insulted the Captain."  
  
"Insulted him? And that reference to a rubbish heap."  
  
"He was being sarcastic. He's probably glad he has sons because, well if the Dominants attacked—I mean can you see him with girls? He'd probably put them all in Navy uniforms."  
  
Ray looked at the Captain. If the Dominants attacked, he was certain the Captain would be on their side. For some reason, he suspected he made an enemy.  
  
Enrique was not that more cordial. His offer to help him with his tax return reminded Ray of a cat offering to hold the door open for a mouse and the way the accountant rubbed his hands when telling the former police detective that such was not deductible was too eager.  
  
The Cd said the Dominants developed from human beings during a Second World War experiment. The two brothers could be from the type the Allies recruited to create the New Species.  
  
Sloan made some stew and the Navy Captain proceeded to take all the pieces of turnips from his, after inquiring if she had forgotten the chick peas? He lightened during the meal, telling of his grandchildren and great grand child. He seemed too young.  
  
"Married when I was fifteen. Joined the Navy, lied about my age," he said, "I thought I was going to have a few short years until retirement. Boy was I wrong. Now I have go through the rest of my term."  
  
"These Dominants start having children when they're eight, the girls do," said Sloan, "so you are quite late, not that you are one of them."  
  
He took out a map from the briefcase besides his chair. It was a portion of the heavens. "I have no idea whether I am or not. Do you know what the name of that star system?"  
  
Sloan told him.  
  
"Orshates, the name given by certain humanoid non terrestrials give to that system. These people are very intrepid; something like your Dominants, only not," said Carl.  
  
"That's all nonsense," said Ray.  
  
"I gather you or your father or grandfather is one of these non terrestrials," said Ed, trying to keep a straight face.  
  
The Captain never confirmed or denied this. He was used to non believers, or rather people who did not think much past the solar system. He had to couch his words carefully, tell them that what he did was in the Nations best interest, which it was. When he first started, they had the Russians to contend with. The Soviets wanted any new technology from outer space to come into their hands and the Americans were just as eager to procure the nearest alien technology. Now it was Iraq and Sadam had quite a bit of money.  
  
"I work for Majestic so it's our business to know of any threat from outside the solar system. Most aliens are unfriendly and especially the grays." He took out another photograph. "Certain of these non terrestrials gave us a diagram for this machine, a condenser used in Space Travel. It reduces the correct amount of Oxygen, Nitrogen, and Hydrogen to less than one third. As you can see the valve expands it when needed. Using this, you could travel to the outer solar systems without resorting to cryogenic sleep with it's danger of body breakdown. They're quite expensive and at least three of them were among the stolen items."  
  
"Could have used them on the Challenger," said Ed, "maybe those people would have lived."  
  
"I suspect they died because there were civilians on board. If it were all military, they would have fixed all the holes but someone figured that the Challenger was correct for flight because now they let on a teacher. You have to do the necessary repairs no matter what. Carelessness."  
  
"They could have lied and said the teacher was a Captain in the United States Air force," said Attwood, "but your story about aliens. It could be the government was working on a secret project."  
  
"You realize that if someone that looked like me, for instance, said 'I'm from Outer space', you'd think he was crazy."  
  
"I would, but that was before I learned of these Dominants." .  
  
"Tom!" said Sloan.  
  
"Don't worry we'll save him," said Ed.  
  
"No, it's not that. Captain you said three of these condensers were stolen. Couldn't they be used underground to produce air, for instance, in a sealed room for an indefinite period of time?"  
  
Carl moved to an open window and then back again, "You are correct. The men who captured Tom Daniels, could keep him in a dungeon or prison for one year using one canister and if they decided to distribute a few plants around for carbon monoxide, that would also expand the breathing capacity."  
  
"That's it," said Attwood, getting out of his chair. "We should look for plants who have a dual purpose, ones with edible seeds, perhaps pepper and tomato plants or small nut bearing trees. Captain was there any solar or fluorescent lamps in the stolen items?"  
  
"Yes, both."  
  
Attwood had on his coat. "The enemy has Tom hidden in an underground bunker Captain, do you know all the military installations in Nevada?"  
  
"All of them, including Area 51. I'll get a map, but I have another plan. Ed, can I borrow one of you jackets, a shirt, and some slacks? Also I'll need to make my hair a little lighter, dirtier and longer." He waited. "From what I learned of the attack on those Peaceful Dominants, they were survivalists. A good military man doesn't have to worry about some new species attacking them and they'd want them alive to learn their methods, especially the leader unless his name happens to be Saddam."  
  
It made sense. They knew about Survivalists, those who were always stockpiling for a nuclear attack, who wanted to make a stand against the Commies, Iranians, Iraqis or whatever. They were just the kind the Limousine lady would utilize to get Tom and go against the Dominants, using their fear of an enemy takeover instead of waiting for a decision from the top.  
  
"Good we'll change on the way to Nevada," said Carl, tossing their jackets and unplugging the computers.  
  
Enrique carried a monitor down to the basement where they had parked their cars and came back to pick up one of the processors. He looked as if he did not need any help. "Ray, you take the cords and stop looking like that. I do a lot of body building." He carried one processor in one hand and one in the other. "We'll have to leave a lot of this here." . .  
  
Sloan picked up her research,  
  
Enrique took a brochure from his pocket, advertising a family oriented motel near Roswell. They would have to stay there until Ed and he contacted them.  
  
"For what?" asked Attwood as he picked up the box now containing the printer.  
  
"We're going to snare a pigeon."  
  
5/17/2003 


	12. PLANS CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER TWELVE  
  
Tom felt uncomfortable in his cage, wondering how they caught him. He would have fought them off before Sloan, no before the injection Ed gave him. The Dominant knew, however, it was his own fault. He should have been more careful, not assuming the drug had worn off completely. He tried the bars of the cage. The metal was impenetrable, a strange new alloy.  
  
The only time he had visitors was when a man left a package of food and water. They were in plastic so he could not use them as a weapon. Other than that, they left him alone.  
  
He grew drowsy after eating, suspecting they had put in a sleeping potion. When he awoke, he would feel sore.  
  
This continued for some days, or weeks until he decided to trick them. He ate the food, but not the liquid, letting it soak into the ground when the other man had left. He then feigned unconsciousness. It worked. They came for him, strapped him on a table, and wheeled it into a large white room with a metal table with tweezers, scalpels, electric cords, test tubes, and containers with various amounts of liquid on top of it. It also had an electric drill, a screwdriver, various pins, and a battery as well as a surgical saw. Tom could feel pain like all Dominants. Their senses were sharper than most, but the one thing that protected them from screaming out was their high pain threshold and low emotional level. Tom called on his reserve as his torturers used electric shock, needles, the works, but they did not try to dismember him.  
  
One of the men in a white mask came over with a small tube which he inserted into the lower part of The Chosen's body. He gave the results to another man who put it in a tube.  
  
Tom now knew what the soreness was about. It was not just his blood, hair, and perspiration they were interested in. They wanted to see why the Dominants were different. He could have told them. They were the next step.  
  
He saw a woman with blonde hair, recognizing her as Attwood's boss. She was talking to another man about a new recruit and the latter looked at Tom.  
  
"When are we going to finish him off?"  
  
"When I say so." She looked at her watch. "Now hurry, I've got to get back to civilization. Perhaps those four you talked into joining will show up. This is the third time I've been disappointed. How far are they along?"  
  
"Enough for implantation. Are you sure we're doing the right thing?"  
  
"Yes. These Dominants are dangerous. The only way is to kill them off, but why not make a profit while doing so? We can leave a select number alive and put them where they do no harm."  
  
"But ship these to Mars? What if they revolt?"  
  
She snapped at her underling. "They won't. I've a place near here with safeguards. They'll grow up there, know no other life. We'll have our own radio and television station and you can't reach it except by air and then when they're old enough, we'll volunteer them or they'll volunteer for the Space Program. Only they won't have a choice."  
  
Their backs were to him. He tried to loosen the straps, but they were intertwined with the same metal and then they turned and looked at him.  
  
"He's awake," said the Limo lady, "give me the needle."  
  
Before Tom could react, she jabbed him in the arm and he fell asleep once more. 


	13. PLANS CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER THIRTEEN  
  
Carl had persuaded his brother not to go. Enrique stood out in a crowd, while the Navy man looked more average. On second point, the Captain's main base was east of the Mississippi, he had helped in a lot of investigations, and he was just plain sneaky. . Since most people saw the uniform rather than the man, he refused to wear a disguise, other than an average looking sports shirt, slacks, and navy issue footwear.  
  
On the other hand, the doctor had to change his character and persona and felt uncomfortable in his disguise. The makeup was hot, the inside of the fake nose itched, he was afraid his contact lenses would pop out, and he hated smoking. He wished the Navy man could take up smoking as his bad habit instead of drinking from a bottle which probably contained cold tea. . They drove down the road until they came to Truckers Hideout, a place where a man could get a cool one, or play a few rounds of snooker. Several trucks and cars that should have belonged in the junk yard were parked in front. The place smelled of old beer and urine. It had a jukebox, circa nineteen fifties and the music coming from the door told Carl and Ed that it had not been updated since then.  
  
The tavern by the American Flag plastered over the bar said one thing the clients were pro American Right or Wrong and the clients looked like they would prove the former. The bar tender looked as if he served in every major battle in Vietnam. He was tough and the tattoo on his right arm was a Navy Cross.  
  
Ed and the Captain avoided the obvious servicemen and went over to a group of men playing cards who were teasing the black haired bar maid who served them their drinks. In keeping with the décor, her uniform was a short blue mini skirt with a red and white striped blouse with a circle of stars over each of her breasts.  
  
"Rather good representation of the American flag, don't you think, Ed," whispered Carl, "I hope my wife doesn't find out."  
  
"She'd kill you?" .  
  
"Precisely." He moved over to the table where the non military personnel were sitting. The man with the black tee shirt with 'James Bonds Sucks', was their man. The dying man's drawing was accurate in describing the black and blue mole on the right cheek. "Mind if I join you?"  
  
"We don't like company,' said one of the gang, who had on black sun glasses. .  
  
Ed moved to the right of 'James Bond'. "Well if you're playing cards, I'd like a hand at it." He took the package from the table and shuffled rather carelessly.  
  
"Julie," said Black sun glasses, "bring us another round. What'll you have strangers?"  
  
For a moment, Ed thought he said "sucker." "A Coors Light and what'll you have, stranger?."  
  
"Mac the Knife. Jack Daniels and coke." Black sun glasses sipped his drink, occasionally looking towards the door. "Not like home." Home, must have been east and north of the Mississippi, someplace in New York City. Having been in New York, Ed recognized his shoes as being of a particular brand and Mac certainly had a macabre sense of humor.  
  
While they drank and played, Carl winning most of the hands, they talked. Carl and Ed had set up a story that the former was a Vietnam veteran fired from his job because the boss learned he killed some Vietnamese kids during the war. The Vietnamese kids hid grenades under their shirts, but no one believed him.  
  
Ed was the son of his best friend so affected by this that the father took to the bottle and now his mind was almost gone. Anyway according to the story, both men were rather upset that their country did not need them and that there were no threats here in America.  
  
All this information took over an hour. The talk then changed to little green men from Mars invading Earth and that the government would call some busy body from Washington not someone who served his country. After all they were not a few miles from Roswell where that mysterious flying saucer had landed.  
  
Mac the Knife glared at them. "You don't think America's in danger?"  
  
"You mean from the Jews, Blacks, and such?" asked Carl with sarcasm, "Don't make me laugh."  
  
"No, A certain group here," said James Bond, "real killers even the kids, but not for long."  
  
"Not for long?"  
  
He whispered into Carl's ear. "We've got their boss."  
  
"Where?"  
  
He leaned back. "That's a secret."  
  
"So what's the score with this guy?" asked Ed.  
  
"Look I work for this broad. Actually she hired us over a year ago to take out this guy. Only we were to leave his second in command alive. You see if the world was to know, there'd be trouble." He told of the ambush, how they left Marcus alive, "the Black dude," as he called him. Later his boss told him to grab the leader, The Chosen, as they called him. 'James Bond' figured he was a sort of emperor in the Ming the Merciless or Ruler of the Universe sense, meaning that these people could break doors, jump over five stories to the sidewalk, break someone's neck with just a snap and they were incredibly smart. "Almost like those old Science Fiction movies on the Late Show about super intelligent aliens. Only they're not aliens, they're related to us. Appears they've got a certain mutation. My boss wants to find out what makes them tick."  
  
"Dissection?"  
  
"No. Look around here. What do you see?" He waited until Black sun glasses, obviously the one with money, who signaled to the hostess and put some bills on her tray.  
  
"Pretty girls and desert," said Carl when the girl left.  
  
"No. Aliens. Only," he bent down to whisper, "They aint from Alpha Centuri, if you know what I mean. A rumor's is that they're the next step in evolution, only we're gonna make sure it don't happen."  
  
Ed failed to notice Carl's expression grow cold as the Navy officer asked, "How?"  
  
'James Bond' swallowed more of his drink. "Justice. Whoever they are have been killing us off and this little branch of theirs pretends to make up for all that. The majority of them are down right killers. They'll start doing what they've always done, but once we question their leader and find out how to stop them, we'll be ready."  
  
"And the leader?"  
  
"The boss has a special plan for him. She says she'll keep him alive and there's the space program. You could get killed up there, only it won't be us that'll get killed, if you know my meaning."  
  
Now it was Carl's turn to lean back. "I certainly do. If you want someone to take care of these goons, I'm your man." He took one of the beer bottles, crushing it with his bare hand.  
  
"You can call me Jake," said 'Bond'. "Put it there partner."  
  
"Torch," said Carl, "and this here's Larry. He aint been around that long to get a handle."  
  
The three men shook hands.  
  
His boss would interview them first Ed felt a pit in his stomach, when he saw Carl crush the bottle. The doctor suspected the only way the Navy Officer could give information about the humanoid aliens was because his father was one. The Captain could not have gotten a sensitive position in the Navy if he were an alien himself.  
  
The Limo Lady, however, was a different matter. What if she recognized him? Attwood had told him previously that she would not. They had spent hours perfecting his manner of speech and working class vocabulary, along with the underlying bitterness at getting passed over.  
  
The Captain had been a natural, but then all Carl had to think of was being only a Captain at his age because a blast damaged his left leg, and it took until the nineteen eighties to get a proper donor. As said before, he was a Navy career man through and through.  
  
They left the tavern, and then went to the office where Attwood's former boss conducted the interview. As warned, it was quite tricky, but Ed answered her questions as best he could.  
  
"Never took much notice about little green men," he said.  
  
"They're mostly grey. How do you feel about living on Mars?" she asked.  
  
"Look is this interview for your group or to get on the next Space Shuttle?"  
  
"Answer my question."  
  
"Not me. I'm going to stick here in the good old U.S.A. but if you can send some poor sucker out there, I don't care." He smiled as he gave an answer he was sure she would accept. "Have a penal colony out there. Ship out the discontents. Then I'll be happy."  
  
"Thank you," she said, "we'll call you when we need you."  
  
Ed went outside and waited for Carl's interview. During the time, he heard gun shots, but did not try to go break in. An hour later the Captain came out.  
  
"How'd it go?" Ed asked.  
  
"Like yours. She said I was a little old, but then I showed her my ability with a gun and handling men."  
  
"So we're in."  
  
He took a piece of paper from his wallet. "The location of where they have Tom. It's an underground bunker located beneath a former mine. The Air Force made it in the nineteen fifties after that Roswell incident, just in case there was an attack. Only the Pentagon decided alien invasions were not a priority and we could do with the ones we already had, so they took it off their radar. As you realize I know all the military installations." 


	14. PLANS CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN  
  
Carl and Ed sent a message to the motel telling the others they infiltrated the 'Military' The survivalists welcomed them like brothers although most of the men were a little cautious. It appeared that anyone joining them was on close watch until he had passed the test of loyalty which must have been killing a Dominant child or some such task. .  
  
To further their cover, Attwood arranged to be made up as Ed's father, and rambled into the area causing Ed feign embarrassment and take him back to the motel where Walter was able to give him a code to use for their contact. Ed slipped it in his pocket, and went outside to the others of the Limo Lady's group, apologizing for the embarrassment. Once out of their site, he slipped the code to Captain who took a rather quick look at it, too quick according to Ed. He was beginning to wonder about the older man.  
  
Carl, being the more experienced, joined the unit guarding Tom. No one believed his story about the Vietnamese kids having bombs, by the way. They figured he was just as hateful as them. At first the Navy Officer thought these were the typical "we hate everyone except us pure Anglo Saxon" types, but he noticed that the group contained one Native American (a Navaho), a Japanese American, two Chinese, and two African Americans, one that could pass for white, and the other, the type you would be unable to see in a dark night. The main unit, however, were mainly white ranging from blonde Scandinavians to dark haired Italians and Mexicans of pure Castilian blood. If someone wanted to make a movie about diversified bad men, he would have a hard time here.  
  
The Captain sent messages to Ed, telling him where they kept Tom, the methods used to secure him, and even the torture and experiments which did not include dismembering the Dominant.  
  
A week later, Carl gave him the final message in code. They had to get Tom out now. Her boss had grown tired of her superior telling her to keep the Dominant alive. In the next day or two, they would kill the Chosen and make sure no one would find the body.  
  
"You're not coming for fried chicken?" Ed asked.  
  
"Nah, gotta make sure our guest doesn't leave, "said Carl, taking out his M16 and twirling around. "Still good after all these years, don't you think. Someone's gonna get hurt."  
  
Jake called one of the men over. "Our new member's having trouble with his old man. Legs, you go with him."  
  
As Ed and Legs drove off, the doctor asked, "Look, I know I aint got the experience that you had, but when am I gonna get a chance at that bastard you've got down below?"  
  
"Boss's orders. Don't want him dead, yet. Look I've been here four months and I aint allowed in there."  
  
"Yes but Torch," said Ed sticking his arm out the window of the truck and flicking the ashes from his cigarette. .  
  
"Torch's different. He's been through the wringer. You're just a kid."  
  
They drove on in silence until they reached the motel.  
  
So far Ed had not been allowed at the place where they guarded Tom, but Carl told him of a rumor that Tom had tried to awaken during an experiment. He gave the message to Walter. "You like goose don't you, dad?" he asked Attwood.  
  
The older man pretended to take a gun. "Whose that with you. Don't come near you dirty Commie." He then broke into a song popular in the nineteen sixties. He was not that good.  
  
"Goose, dad. Remember back home? Mom cutting up the bird?"  
  
"Mother bird. Cranberry sauce. None here. You're a good boy. What's your name?" He gave a perfect imitation of someone with forgetfulness.  
  
"Larry, remember?"  
  
"I had a baby boy called Larry. Had dark hair just like you. Cut up goose."  
  
The other man did not see Attwood's smile, but Ed did. Walter had gotten the message.  
  
The doctor drove back to the camp with his colleague, noting where a certain bush struggled against the dry earth, the remnants of an old Indian burial ground, the distance from the motel to where they held Tom and where he had placed his markers.  
  
"The boss says we won't have that animal for long," said the colleague.  
  
"Yeah sure and I never got to see him."  
  
When they arrived, 'Torch' came to the truck, his hand over his right eye. "Quick I gotta get into town." With his left hand, he pointed to the snarling dog tied to a chain. "Just tried to pet him."  
  
"Well you know what it's like with Pitbulls. Real killers. Trouble I don't know the land around here either."  
  
"Larry does."  
  
"Oh you do Larry? Never seen you about."  
  
"Been embarrassed 'cause of the old man. Look if you don't trust us, you drive. I'll give you directions, won't ya Larry?  
  
"Sure I will," said 'Larry'.  
  
Half way towards the hospital, they stopped for a coffee. Legs said he had to go to the washroom. 'Torch' agreed to look after his things, and Legs thought nothing of it. After all, in the short time they were together, there was no reason for mistrust.  
  
Carl grabbed the key, and took the battery out of the cell phone in Leg's jacket. "Let's go."  
  
"Now?"  
  
"Yes. They contact each other that way using a prepaid number which only works on this brand. He'll have quite a walk back to the compound and you can say that you had to drive me to the hospital, I got an infection." He waited until Ed got in the car. "By the way, you'd better fasten your seat belt. I'm going to break the speed limit," and he did. 


	15. PLANS CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN  
  
When Legs emerged from the washroom and discovered his 'friends' had left, he pressed the buttons on his cell phone, but found someone had removed the batteries. He went over to the counter, took out a twenty dollar bill, and asked for a lithium battery.  
  
"Just a moment," said the salesclerk and reached behind her.  
  
Legs waited, not paying attention to the four men who came from behind him.  
  
"Legs," said one.  
  
He turned. The short man in the blue shirt seemed familiar. Was it Scott? Yes it was.  
  
"Scott it's been a long time since I've seen you. How was it five years?"  
  
"About that long. So what's going on?"  
  
"Some of my buddies played a practical joke on me." He described Torch and Larry and the truck.  
  
"Seems I saw a truck heading towards the main drag," said Scott, "if you hurry, we can catch up with them." He signaled to the other three men, one who took the battery, and picked up Legs' change.  
  
Scott insisted that Legs sit in the front seat with him, while two of the other men sat in the back. The small man chattered about how he had met the others in the army while they started down towards the highway. One of the men offered Legs a cigarette, but he refused. He was trying to quit. The third man got in a separate car, saying something like "I'll look for her later."  
  
They continued for a mile, Legs noticed that at least four other cars were behind, and that one of them held the man who took his battery as well as a woman. At least he thought she was a woman, but could not make out the face. "Why aren't they with you?"  
  
"Oh Paul and her have been like that. Besides she's a good cook," said Scott.  
  
Something is wrong, though Legs, one thing that Scott don't like is marriage and home cooking. He started to grab for the door, and suddenly heard the distinctive sound of a lock. Someone grabbed him from behind and he felt the smell of chlorine as someone pressed a rag into his mouth.  
  
When he awoke, he was in this room with beige walls and a linoleum carpet with a fern pattern. . The doors were shut, the place was bare except he was the only one sitting in a chair and his hands were bound behind his back. The others, (he recognized the three men and his friend) were stranding looking with impassiveness at him. There was a woman with them as well, dark wavy hair with a slight auburn hint, of Spanish blood, who stood a bit behind one of the men the one who had taken his battery. Scott faced him, only he knew now this was not Scott. Sure the man looked enough to be a double, but it was not his former friend.  
  
:"Scott?"  
  
"Your friend Scott is still back in Montana, although I doubt he'd be able to do much now."  
  
"You killed him." Legs tried to get free of his bonds, but it was useless. He felt a cold sweat and actual fear, something he was unused to. These men looked devoid of pity. It was not even the feigned pity of psychopathic killers. It was as if that nature never appeared in their makeup and they were so superior. He was beginning to see what 'Scott' was really like.  
  
The imposter shook his head. "He ran over an embankment after leaving a bar. Certain people should never drink. We just disposed of the body, but didn't tell anyone. Now where's Tom Daniels?"  
  
The question came so suddenly that Legs insisted he did not know who they were talking about. Sure he knew the name of the man his boss had in the cage, and why she had him, but he was not going to tell these monsters. "Tom who?"  
  
Scott slapped him across the face with such force it almost caused Legs's brains to scramble. The questioner was just to give another shot when one of the men stopped him.  
  
"We don't have much time. We have to use another method to persuade him. Perhaps we can use the wire."  
  
Legs shivered, thinking of them half garroting him until he talked, but the imposter had another idea.  
  
He called man who had the battery over. "Paul, do you still have that equipment with you?"  
  
"Yes." Paul nodded to the woman who went out the back door and soon returned with a leather case that she handed to him.  
  
Paul took out a syringe from the case, tested it by sprouting the liquid into the air and with mercilessness injected a needle into Leg's arm. Legs could see the figures in front of him, staring at him, and then they A few minutes later, he heard words coming out of his mouth and no matter how he tried to make his will stop that from happening, he could not.  
  
"Yes you go towards the motel, turn left on the dirt road, continue for two miles until you see an Indian burial mound, you go around it, and turn right when you come to the jagged stone shaped like a mushroom, and then..." He could not stop babbling : "They have this Tom Daniels in a cage. You have to go past the metal door, the combination is—the key to open the cage is located on top, it's covered with a metallic plaster to match it, you just turn it to the left a quarter of a turn, and then right a half a turn..."  
  
"Where about on the top?" asked Paul.  
  
Legs noticed the Mexican woman with distinctively Spanish features start to open her mouth as if to say something and then one of the men grabbed her arm and hustled her out.  
  
"Over the left bar on the right side as you come in the door."  
  
"Thank you," said 'Scott', giving him a pat on his back. Legs slumped back as in a comma.  
  
"I saw the truck, and sensed that one of them is of the New Species," said Paul after learning where they had Tom.  
  
"He could be from the Lost Ship."  
  
"No, he doesn't act like that, nor like us. He's not been hiding or on the run as we have had, keeping ourselves unknown to the humans."  
  
"Then we must welcome him just as we did the Advocate Lambourni. And what of him?" asked Scott, "You are the oldest. It is your right to decide his fate."  
  
"A mere inconvenience. " Paul went over to Legs. "I guess we don't need you anymore." He put his arm around the tall man's neck. There was a distinctive snap.  
  
6/14/2003 


	16. PLANS CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN  
  
The truck tires kicked up sand as it stopped at the motel, and Ed rushed in Attwood's room. "Your old boss's planning to kill Tom. We know how to get there. Hurry we haven't much time."  
  
"Good I'll get my car." He held his nose as Carl entered, putting the keys in his pocket. . "You two need a bath. You stink." He rummaged through the desk, taking a revolver and several bullets. .  
  
"Ed, you've got to get out of those things. I'll need a wash and a shave," said Carl who went into the washroom. A few minutes he emerged, clean shaven, and his hair neatly trimmed. "There's some makeup remover in the brown jar. It'll sting. Also some clean clothes. The water's still hot by the way. Meanwhile we'll get the ammunition and the weapons."  
  
Ed finished removing his makeup, hearing the commotion outside. Ray wanted to get his wife and son and take them to Enrique's house which was located in Area 51 and then they would rescue Tom. However, Sloan knew that if they did that, it would be too late. The kidnappers would have killed Tom and buried his body in a pit, covered it with lime, or dissolved it in acid. There were many ways to get rid of a body.  
  
"Listen," she said, "Ray, you can't even contact your family until Tom's free and clear and if you get them first, Enrique will have to keep his son home as well and I doubt that Alexandro is the type I'd trust by himself. He'd probably invite a few friends over."  
  
Tate came out, just as the boy Alexandro came over to his father's car and dropped in the passenger seat. He played with the radio and then just sat there waiting for the others.  
  
Carl was looking for someone. A few minutes later, a jeep drove up, and the corporal who drove it let out a Marine officer. He had medium brown hair, and blue eyes, large boned and in obvious good shape. The Captain talked with him for a while and then the jeep drove away.  
  
"What's that about?" asked Attwood who was getting into his car.  
  
"I told my cousin where they've got Tom. He's got several Marines in the area. They'll cut off anyone who tries to escape and we need him to identify the stolen items."  
  
"But what is his name? He seems familiar." Attwood thought of an incident when he first was an intern in the CIA. He smarted when he thought of some prankster putting signs saying "Restricted Security Personnel Only." on all the restrooms. He had seen some boys there, guests of one of the operatives, part of the "Know your Government and When you grow up, join the CIA" routine. He remembered because the staff did not do any sensitive work that day and someone put a map of 1940s Europe and the location of OSA (the predecessors of the CIA) and other reference material on a large table near the entrance.  
  
"I told you why not." Carl got in besides Alexandro who did not mind sitting in the middle.  
  
"That's a very well behaved young man," said Ray.  
  
"Yes," said Sloan, but she still had misgivings. She got in the back of van already stocked with the necessary medical equipment. Ed got in the front. He would drive. After all, he and Carl knew the way.  
  
So they started off, Carl and Enrique in front, their car settling towards the back. Ed and Sloan followed, Ray in his car, and then Attwood in the back. Carl cut through the desert at a speed that was hard to follow, but no one minded, they had to get Tom before nightfall.  
  
"I think there's someone following us," said Ray, looking behind him.  
  
"Limousine Lady's entourage?" asked Ed though his radio phone.  
  
"I don't know. Attwood, do you recognize any of them?"  
  
"Well whoever they are, they aren't the type and they're driving rather reckless, almost like Dominants. Can we go any faster?"  
  
"We can't speed up without damaging the equipment and Carl's ahead of us."  
  
The other cars still kept on their tale. It was as if they were linked like an invisible rubber band. When Attwood's group swerved, the others did the same. Both sets of vehicles, traveled along the dusty route, past the Indian cemetery, until the second group disappeared.  
  
They were now near the place where Tom was held captive, a former mine once used by the military. The cave nearby had been enlarged, a false floor put on it, and a door inserted into part of the cave. You had to press the correct part of the walls to open it and only in a certain manner.  
  
Carl got out his side of the car, and went to the trunk where he proceeded to take out an M16, a rifle, and loaded his pocket with several rounds of ammunition. Meanwhile, Enrique took a box from the back, almost hidden beneath a large pile of newspapers. As for Alexandro, he got out and started to look around.  
  
"Don't go far," said his father, "and if anyone comes near, we're looking for snakes." He threw the boy a stick with a hope to further the illusion.  
  
"Yes father." The boy left walking in an ambulatory fashion, noticing the lizard on the ground, the blue sky, and seeing the man in the uniform. "Seen any rattler's nests around here? It's for my school project..."  
  
That was the last thing he said. The man raised his rifle and fired point blank. Alexandro never heard his father shout, "Alexandro!" 


	17. PLANS CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN  
  
The Dominants led by Paul saw the boy fall and the father took something from his pocket, and with his brother, go after the man. They moved as hunters, stalking their prey.. Paul heard the click as the Naval Officer loaded his weapon, and looked around for any other guards and then with his brother go up the hill. .  
  
So far the other humans had not noticed. They were too busy hiding that van and getting their weapons ready. They had not noticed the father of the dead boy and the Navy officer leave their car and move towards the cave.  
  
The Dominants decided to join the humans in the rescue, but in such a way so their enemies were unaware.  
  
"I'll go after the father and the Captain, alone" said Paul, "and keep in the shadows."  
  
"We'll approach Attwood's group, offer a temporary truce," said one of Dominants who got back in his car with the others, leaving a young Dominant of about fifteen or sixteen behind.  
  
"Look after Lupe!" Paul ordered him, "You have not been bloodied yet. It is your job to watch."  
  
Paul passed the body of the one who had shot the boy and examined his neck. It was broken and a thin blood line encircled it. The man had been garroted. He watched the Navy man and his brother enter a cave, the former putting his hand on a certain part of the wall, pressing an invisible set of numbers, remembering each 1-4-8-2-7.  
  
"What's going on?" asked Ed who came from behind, "and where did everyone go?"  
  
Paul who was in the shadows, drew his gun. Ed started to reach for his, and then the Dominant shot.  
  
"What the he..." Tate did not finish, for the man behind him fell and now he got a good look at him.  
  
"Who was that?" asked Sloan who came with Walter, Ray, and the other Dominants.  
  
"Jake." He looked around, but Paul had already masked his presence. "Thanks who ever you are. Come we've got to find Tom."  
  
"But we can't. I just saw Carl and Enrique enter and then disappear."  
  
"I believe there's a section of the wall around here." Ed felt around, and then heard a voice nearby.  
  
"To your right, the part near that fissure. Put your hand on the wall, move it two inches to the right, no down a quarter of an inch. Now there. The numbers are 1-4-8-2-7. I believe a code box. "  
  
:"1-4-8-2-7 whoever you are," said Ed. It was a code box painted to look like the wall. Part of it opened, revealing a long passageway. He and the others continued, until they came to another wall. "Do you suppose they left a clue here?" He started to search around. "Now if I was a Captain in the Navy, how would I do that?"  
  
"Maybe in one of the rocks," said Sloan who started to turn them over. "Looks like someone's been drawing on them dot, a dash, another dot."  
  
"Wait," said Attwood, "It's the Morse code. Back up about forty paces, Sloan, while I press this section of the wall." He did so, and part of the floor seemed to lift. "I'll need a hand. It appears to be locked from below."  
  
"I can do it," said 'Scott' grabbing one edge. The trap door now swung open.  
  
Paul came from the shadows, stepping behind them, making sure no one except the other Dominant saw him. He waited until the others had descended, and then followed. He then paused for a moment, his eyes seeing what the humans did not.  
  
The door had meant to be closed, but now it was ajar and with a distinctive odor of blood and death in it. He saw Attwood turn on a flashlight and Paul went into the Masking routine. He saw Attwood turn and say, "I thought I saw someone. No must be my nerves."  
  
"All the excitement getting to you?" asked Ray.  
  
"No. It brings me a sense of what I was when I was younger before my injury."  
  
"Well I'm not young either."  
  
Paul made his way to the door, slipped through it, seeing what he had smelled. The men who had kidnapped Tom were no more. They lay in positions of death, necks broken, a knife in the heart, one in the back, another had been shot. No one above would have heard the noise. The cave was well insulated.  
  
He made out the Captain, and the brother feeling around for something on the top of Tom's cage just as the others came in. Paul listened to their surprise and anger at Tom's condition, their invoking God, which the Dominants knew as the Divine, to do something terrible to his captors and made his way to a shadow on the other side of the cave, a shadow he was sure was a door.  
  
He heard Sloan's voice telling Tom, "We'll get you out in a minute," and the Captain turning the key that opened part of the cage.  
  
Paul, however, had other things on his mind, for he had opened the hidden door and found a site that even sickened him.  
  
A several cylinders with a clear top were on one side of the wall. As he looked in each cylinder, he saw a small shape, not quite human yet, just beginning to form. It was almost ready for implantation. Paul heard a creak and another door started to open. He was already starting to unmask. Quickly he masked once more and hid behind the opening door.  
  
A man in a white coat entered from a small room, and went over to the cylinders. "Yes, my children. We can't afford to sacrifice us humans, but you will pave the way to space for us. Think of the greater good, giving your life with no rewards. After all, you're part Dominant, well now we're dominant not you!" Hearing a squeak, he turned around. "Whose there?"  
  
The Dominant grabbed him from behind. "Any last requests?" he asked and then snapped his neck. "I didn't think so." He then turned to the cylinders. "Our own kind mingled with theirs, to be used as fodder for their Space programs. No more."  
  
The other Dominants that came with Attwood's group gingerly carried the containers out the room, past Ed and Sloan who now had Tom on the ground, covering him with a blanket.  
  
"He seems so cold," said Sloan.  
  
"The Dominants originated in Mexico, a warmer climate," said Ed, "Too bad we can't get someone to testify against the Limo lady. They're all dead."  
  
"Vendetta," said Attwood.  
  
"Vendetta? I heard a bit from the Italian side of my family."  
  
"I didn't know you were part Italian."  
  
"I have some Italian relatives here, but have no idea what they're doing. Anyway about this vendetta, they killed Enrique's son. He was a bit cold, and strange, but he was innocent. That was murder."  
  
6/28/2003 


	18. PLANS CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN  
  
With the cylinders safe in the trunk of his car, Paul motioned the young Dominant who brought Lupe over. "Shane, get these to the Council."  
  
"What about the humans? They tried to kill the Chosen and you know the Council and I do not think the same," said Shane while Lupe transferred the cylinders from Paul's car to his.  
  
"That human female, the one who pulls Attwood's strings, presumed to make Progenies. We know of those raised by humans, most are dangerous. The exception being of course Lambourni whose mind is..." He moved aside while Lupe locked Shane's trunk.  
  
"Taken over by Diablo," Lupe blurted out.  
  
"Only the Council makes the final decision, and few of them know about demon possession and you have been with us since a girl. Has anyone other than us talked to you?"  
  
"The cinema. John looks at it. Documentaries."  
  
"Ah part of his training and Shane I want you to investigate this demon possession, something peculiar to the humans, although in time we may be attacked, Lambourni being the exception."  
  
Dominants never experienced that sort of thing. However, the ills of humankind had yet to fall on them. He also knew they could sense illnesses in their own species that humans were unaware of; small variations, perhaps an inability to sense someone coming four minutes and fifty nine seconds rather than the usual five, hearing someone from ninety yards away rather than two hundred yards, needed eight hours sleep rather than six hours. Even a minor quirk left them vulnerable.  
  
"I will do that, but as for these, the Council has scattered since the Diaspora," said Shane, "and we need all of them to determine the fate of these future Dominants." He used the term the Dominants used for the unborn.  
  
"Roderick, a senior member of the Council, might be in San Francisco," said Paul, "He wishes to share in the knowledge of the Chosen's rescue. The humans have taken him to a safe place. Gregory is in Brownsville, Texas, Elliot in Las Vegas. Take this cell phone. It is on Roderick's frequency. Drive along the highway. He will start up and meet you in the middle." He handed him the cell phone. "After giving the message, destroy it so the humans cannot trace it."  
  
Shane talked on the cell phone and then taking out his disposer, reduced it to ashes which he scattered into the air. "He fortunately had no reached San Francisco, but took a detour to San Bernardino. He has started east on the highway." The young man got in his car and drove away.  
  
Paul got in his Lincoln with Lupe in the passenger seat. He drove for a while, seeing a couple of Marines under the command of the cousin questioning two other men. One of the men wore black sun glasses, the New Yorker also known as Mac the Knife. In a minute, they had the latter in handcuffs and were escorting them to a jeep. The Military was cleaning up the mess.  
  
In a moment, one of the Marines came over, and pulled the same routine that got the other two in trouble. "What's your purpose here?"  
  
"I'm looking for my daughter, Anna Sedona," said Paul, "she's an actress. I believe she's with the Terra Firma Movie Company."  
  
"They're shooting near Area 51. You'd better be careful. Just keep in the prescribed areas and you'll be fine."  
  
After thanking him and driving off, Paul stopped at the motel where Attwood's group had been, a favorite of out of town visitors considering the family oriented meal in the adjoining restaurant. He was sure Walter Attwood, the nemesis of the Dominants, would not deign to stop in a motel whose clients used the name of Smith or Jones with alarming regularity. It would be a simple matter to find out the names of those two who thwarted his purpose and just left him with a cringing scientist to kill.  
  
He entered the office, looked around for a map, and asked for the only one not in the display.. While the manager searched in the back, Paul looked through the guest book, and found a name, Gerona. He then went to the phone booth, and started searching. The name Gerona was there, but no address.  
  
"Here you are sir," said the manager.  
  
"I'm looking for a friend of mine, Enrique Gerona. I can't see his address nor telephone number."  
  
"That's because they're in Area 51. Hush hush. You can't get there without a pass."  
  
"Where can I get one?" asked Paul.  
  
"On the base," was the reply.  
  
"Thank you." That human was not much help. Paul went to the car. "If Anna's not at the shoot, we might have to get in this Area 51. She should have asked the Council first. If she wanted to be a Chameleon, they would've approved."  
  
"And the other one? The one we had to give away?"  
  
He glared at her. "Remember what happened when we first caught you?"  
  
The woman shuddered, but remained calm, remembering the torture, the electric shocks, almost having her arms ripped up, and that thing one of them held that caused unbearable pain. She remembered screaming and her captors not caring, just smiling and one of them was the man besides her and she was now his favorite, the highest fate of human women captured by the Dominants.  
  
"As in a nightmare." She brought up the subject of her weak child. "Maybe her dominant side remained dormant until now."  
  
"I do not think so. You were half starved when you gave birth to her. The damage was permanent. Let the humans raise her as their own. It will be for the best." He took a sandwich out of a paper bag and gave it to the woman. "This Sloan seems interesting and this Walter Attwood, the man who announced our presence, too powerful to kill without notice."  
  
The woman wondered why they were here. This was so far out of reach to find a woman in her twenties, a woman with stars in her eyes, the human side, mingled with the Dominant intelligence. It had been a lucky break, she assumed, finding the rescuers of Tom Daniels, the Chosen.  
  
The Dominants, however, took nothing to chance. They had helped in the rescue, the captors of the Chosen, dead. No one knew who fired the first shot or snapped the first neck.  
  
Paul set up sentries, watching the routes to see where Walter, Ed, Sloan, and Ray would go. The latter took another route, to get his wife and son and meet the others later.  
  
Previously, the Council had informed Paul that Attwood hoped to establish another safe house here in Nevada. He learned there were three others, one in Denver, the other in Las Vegas, and one in Houston. As for Sloan's apartment, it was now the Los Angeles headquarters for the Council, Lewis's family having paid for the whole block. They made it out as a behest from Sloan's late boss. She would never suspect anything, but Attwood did. The heavy man had gone to Marcus's group who denied having anything to do with it  
  
Now the Dominant plan was simple: to keep track of their enemy and what better way then to monitor the building where Sloan used to live. They could then wait, listen in via the radio, television, and the cable line and be prepared to escape when Attwood's group made another foray against them.  
  
They had planned to rescue Tom, showing him how treacherous the humans were and then this Attwood and his gang showed up. The Dominants managed to eliminate a few of the captors, but it was two other men, brothers who sprung Tom from his cage and did the majority of the killings. He was quite weak, possibly drugged. Once they found who instigated this, that person or persons would meet a horrific fate 


	19. PLANS CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN  
  
Carl called an ambulance to pick up Alexandro's body. He and Enrique drove to the morgue. They would meet the rest at the movie lot. . Because of the heavy drugs given Tom, Attwood's group used the van as a makeshift hospital, Sloan gradually nursing Tom back to his own Dominant strength, but he was still too weak for his captors had kept him in a cage, removing him only when necessary and only after sedating him. According to one of the humans who survived the massacre, Tom was unaware of what was happening to him and besides, their form of mind control was helpless against the Chosen as was their usual forms of torture, water hoses, electric shock, and the like.  
  
"We'll have you back to your own self," said Sloan.  
  
"I never realized—how could you humans survive without our senses—with your lack of strength."  
  
"We've had thousands of years, not millions as presumed. Someone sent us a DVD. One of your species. It appears your kind existed over six thousand years ago and then disappeared. Do you know much of our history? The Second World War?"  
  
"I recall learning of the past of our ancestors, how a certain leader tried to put all under his sway. It was part of my training from Lewis, to learn who were too dangerous. Such a man like Adolph Hitler would have been a formidable foe."  
  
"And what did you study?"  
  
"His background, education so that we could stop such a man before he gains power. "  
  
"So anyone who had that trait would have died, even if years later he did not use that."  
  
"Yes. Prevention." He tried to move his right leg, but found it unable to respond.  
  
"You have been cramped for so long. I'll massage it." She did so, gradually letting him regain his strength. Ed said that they should start on changing Tom to a human being, but she said no. Perhaps if he had fully changed back to the Dominant state, he would not have been captured so easily. Tom was now resting. She knocked on the small window.  
  
Ed turned around for a second. "Is Tom all right?"  
  
"Yes, but still weak. I have to manipulate his arms and legs to get them working again. The only time he's been out of the cage was for tests and it looks like he's been tortured but what I have to tell you, might change our ideas of reverting the Dominants to human beings."  
  
Ed listened as she explained. The computer program that they used showed the registration 1 and 1.6 for homo sapiens and homo dominants. Tate upgraded the program so it would register the between setting of 1.4 for Kelly, however that was the only change he made and that took several hours of writing code.  
  
"So you're saying that each change in degrees between human and Dominants, and reverse has certain characteristics?" he asked.  
  
"Yes. You said yourself that the drug was in beta, that it was not perfect and Tom was trained as a Chameleon. He did not show the violent anti human reaction that Kelly did because he knew how to hide those feelings." She waited for it to sink it. "Ed, did you know if Kelly's acceptance of you as a friend and her willingness to cooperate was a human state or a state before the 1.4 level?"  
  
Ed had no idea. He had tried to find out about her family. Her father on hearing of her death said that Kelly was adventurous and full of fun. Her mother said she never initiated trouble, but Kelly was a follower, not a leader. Dr. Tate had whitewashed her death, saying that she caught a virus that turned deadly. He knew the Dominants had killed her, but was it murder or mercy because of a result of the violent changes going through her body? The pin point would have been missed, if he had not looked for it. .  
  
"That would mean that Tom's ability to hear things, and to see as in a red daze is much like what happens when one goes through sleep paralysis or in the alpha state before sleep of hearing a conversation," said Ed  
  
"I'm sorry Ed, but that's just the person dreaming."  
  
"When someone goes through the Alpha stage before sleep, it's like a waking dream. We've had it for so long that we naturally ignore hearing someone else's conversation or a radio one hundred miles away. As one leaves the human stage at 1.0, perhaps the Alpha stage does not resort in sleep, but becomes more permanent and the person stays wide awake."  
  
"But would Kelly think it's unusual?"  
  
"No. She'd assume she was overly tired. Hearing voices and might worry that she needed to get sleep, so she would not have mentioned it. That's why I don't pay much attention to psychic hotlines. They're just making money on something humans have for about ten minutes before falling asleep."  
  
"So when Tom heard those people in the park, he was not in the 1.6 state, but one of the other states and that's when he was captured."  
  
"It might be 1.3 or 1.2, possibly the former since he did not turn violent in the cage." He asked Sloan of Tom's behavior and she told him, how he was amazed at what he had seen and had missed it. When she saw the men grab him, he did not appear to notice them until it was too late. "It could be 1.4 like Kelly. Probably bravado and loud talk, no action," said Ed, "she just snapped, said in essence she was superior, but I could still handle her."  
  
"And if she turned completely Dominant, you couldn't," said Sloan, "I don't know if Tom is fully himself yet."  
  
They drove by the set where the movie company worked. A young woman, dark reddish hair done up in the Mexican style of the nineteenth century was playing a scene with another man done in a suit and bowtie. A man in the style of the nineteen forties came over, saying, "Now Señorita," he said, "you are offended by this man and Jerry, you are supposed to be a cad, not a dude from the East. Leer a bit more."  
  
"It doesn't say that in my lines," said the actress, showing the director her script.  
  
"Wait a minute." He shouted. "What idiot gave Miss Sedona the wrong lines? Do you know how much I spent getting them revised? Working with the writers? Sorry for my outburst, Señorita, but—" 


	20. PLANS CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY  
  
As Paul suspected, Attwood and his group first went to the New Mexican movie location, mingling with the crowds of onlookers, cars, trailers, trucks, and vans, actors, extras, tourists, and locals, all to see the biography of this famous Mexican actress. The man who was to play the famous cowboy actor of the nineteen forties and fifties was already in his chair, having his makeup retouched.  
  
And there was Paul's daughter, Anna, dressed like a Mexican woman of the late nineteenth century, reading her lines. Paul nudged the woman. "Go get her. Make like you're an immigrant. Use your emotions."  
  
Meanwhile, Paul watched Attwood A few minutes later, the woman returned.  
  
"The movie people are idiots," she said, "I told her I was her mother, but they wanted proof!"  
  
"What kind of proof?"  
  
"A marriage certificate, a birth certificate." She pointed to the chain around her neck. "This the Dominant marriage certificate for a Favorite. They want paper not an ornament and the birth certificate. The priest baptized me and now he's dead and the Church records burned. No nada!"  
  
"There has to be someone who can get us in, get Anna back. If the humans know about her, they'll look for us."  
  
"One of the men looked worried." She pointed to a bald man.  
  
"Should be," said Paul. "We're here." He put on his radar full strength. He was pleased with his woman, she was starting to think as if she were Dominant instead of a mere human, having had this captive since she was a young girl, well in human terms anyway. He had helped torture her, listened to her screams, and violated her. They did not mean her to survive, but she did. Buried under those rags and refuge in the truck, life did not ebb from her. The 1.6rs could detect pregnancies among their females at conception and this human was now carrying a child. The Dominants decided to wait until the birth of the child to see if it, the product of a 1.6r and human, would carry their strain. They turned the girl over to Paul who told her what would happen if she disobeyed.  
  
Eight months later, the girl bore a baby boy, a Dominant. Two days after that, Paul took the girl over to the sacred pole, announcing her as his concubine in the Official Joining, a ceremony where the oldest male Dominant had the chip inserted in the crucifix, the name of the owner and his captive put on the metal plate, and the necklace permanently sealed around her neck. The girl now became Paul's favorite and every child she bore Paul would be legitimate in the eyes of the Council unlike what would happen when she was merely a pet. Then their fate determined on the will of the Council, ranging from being made legal, to given over to a Dominant couple whose child had died or been killed, putting on the no help squad, that is, those Dominants who made forays against the humans when death was the only option, enslaved, or just killed. .  
  
All but one of Paul and Lupe's children were born Dominants and that was because of malnutrition. The one born human, Paul left some place so that humans would find her. It was his daughter. He did not want her to die, even if defective. Besides, she had been promised to the Chosen at birth.  
  
Paul wondered if his daughter, now raised by humans, would be a fit mate for the Chosen or whether that female had corrupted Tom so that the Chosen would no longer have the firm resolve to rule.  
  
He recognized the Mexican woman, Blanca and a young girl, survivors of the village near where he grew up. He thought they were all dead and they appeared to be talking to a dark man who had a boy with him. Paul knew him, that Los Angeles policeman, Ray Peterson, who the Los Angeles police department put on a black list because of his talking about the New Species  
  
Paul started the engine and drove towards a drug store. "You wait here." He left his woman in the car and went inside. A few minutes later, he returned and took out a map, tearing it in half. "I'll go this way. We've already seen Anna, but since they don't believe you're her mother, perhaps that is an advantage."  
  
The plan was simple. They would enter Area 51, and look for someone who did business with the movie company. Paul knew that the only way the movie studio could film here would be if the base commander or someone high up had given permission. He hoped to find this higher up.  
  
He drove up to the sentry and flashed his identification  
  
The corporal looked at him with suspicion. Fortunately, Paul was prepared. The identification could fool anyone, and besides, he knew more than the regular scientist he was supposed to be. He had learned aeronautics and wind velocity before he was twelve.  
  
7/19/2003 


	21. PLANS cHAPTER TWENTYONE

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE  
  
"Looks like this place is a virtual tourist haven," said Ray, pointing to a car that left dust behind.  
  
"Do you know who it is?" asked Attwood.  
  
"I was talking to Señora Leon and her granddaughter. Daniella said she saw a woman talking to the director. "She told me she was quite beautiful for an old woman."  
  
"For someone of Daniella's age, anyone over thirty is old. Maybe we should ask the director." He did almost an about turn. "Did you say Señora Leon? Wasn't she hiding from the Dominants?"  
  
"She got a job as one of the extras. I told her we'd be staying at Mr. Enrique's house, though translation of course. So when are we leaving?"  
  
Attwood looked towards the van and saw Ed signal. "He says we have to stay a while. It appears Tom isn't that good."  
  
"If you can get Sloan out here and talk to Mrs. Leon."  
  
Walter walked over to the van, and had a short conversation with Sloan who came out the back.  
  
"Señora Leon?" she asked.  
  
"Yes. Ray says she's over there. I know what you're thinking, but we can't have her seen with us, but I can arrange for someone to drive her ahead."  
  
At that moment, a car speed in and screeched to a stop besides one of the trailers. By the sound of the wheels, it must have been going over one hundred and twenty miles an hour, terrorizing the extras who scattered beneath the trailer's wheels, or clung to its side.  
  
"Oh it looks like Carl and Enrique's back," said Attwood rather laconically, "that didn't take long."  
  
"I'll talk to the Captain. He might know someone." Sloan went over to Carl who was watching a shootout between two rather ugly characters. "Captain, there's a woman and a young girl talking to Mr. Peterson. I wonder if you could take them in your car."  
  
A few minutes later, Carl escorted Señora Leon and Daniella over to his car. They would drive them to his brother's house, but "I won't be there. I have to go to Washington, DC, not the State. Remember to show the sentry your passes or you won't get in. By the way, who were they talking to?"  
  
The director butted in. "Oh just some crazy broad claims to be Miss Anna's mother. Another one. We had someone here saying he was her brother, one of our photographers even."  
  
"That doesn't sound far fetched," said Carl as he started the engine and drove off.  
  
Feeling the need to explain his decision, the director addressed Attwood and the others. "Look even if he was, we just can't fire one of our actors and put an unknown in his place. Would cost too much money and we're behind schedule now."  
  
"Well thank you for your cooperation," said Attwood with obvious sarcasm. He left for his car, noticing Ray had left.  
  
"He's gone to pick up his wife and son. They're in with a group touring the set. Right now they're at the corral," said Ed.  
  
"All right," said Attwood, "after Tom has rested, we'll be on our way."  
  
An hour later, they left the movie shoot, traveling towards Area 51. Several jets flew in the sky, some of a design that could only be called experimental. The sides of the road were covered with old signs, and the houses were gradually disappearing as if someone had forced the inhabitants out. What vehicles they saw were mainly military issue.  
  
The Air force had control of Area 51 and the now defunct Project Blue Book, but a few Navy pilots and officers mingled with the usual Air force crowd. Most were there giving technical advice on surviving crashes into the ocean and often at night, a van would drive an experimental airplane towards the California coast where a Navy pilot would take it for a test run over the Pacific. This, however, was kept top secret. . The group could see the boundaries of 51 by the steel mesh fence that stretched for miles before them. Even at the distance, they could see the sentry box and the gate and though it appeared to be just one soldier, they knew that any moment a jet could fly out or a jeep could appear behind the horizon.  
  
They approached the sentry. Attwood signaled them, telling them to be careful. As they neared it, he stopped his car, got out, and walked over to the sentry.  
  
"Names, please and your business here, this is a restricted zone," said the corporal.  
  
"I'm Mr. Walter Attwood, special agent, and Sloan Parker, anthropologist, Dr. Edward Tate, specialist in chemistry, Bachelor of Medicine—" He continued listing them. "Our passes."  
  
"Yes sir." He saluted and went inside his post, getting out the exact number of passes. "Keep on the road until you reach the town. This is the commander's address. Be sure to report to him as soon as you get there. You'll need a permanent card." After distributing his passes, he returned to his post, pressing a few buttons. As if by magic, the gate opened in front, remaining for but a second after the last vehicle entered, and just as if by magic, the electronic gate closed.  
  
They had not driven for more than ten minutes when Attwood saw Enrique's car with his brother, a Marine officer, but minus Señora Leon and her granddaughter.  
  
"So what's going on?" asked Walter.  
  
Manipulating his car behind Attwood's, Enrique explained the reason. "Carl has to wait here until he gets clearance from Pensacola. An officer's flying up to see whether the stolen equipment does come from the East. He also has a clerk with him."  
  
"So I guess you're stuck."  
  
"Not for very long," said the accountant, "I'm positive that stolen equipment comes from east of the Mississippi. It won't take long for them to clear it up and for my cousin to return to Quantico. There's a certain Marine Corporal who he has to vindicate." They drove for a while, entering the main base, which almost looked for a regular typed town except that the men and women in civilian clothes were not civilians but mainly Air Force Personnel. He pointed straight ahead. "The Commander's house is just up that hill, the one with the rose bush in the yard."  
  
"I see it," said Ed, looking out his window, "and has Ray got here all right?"  
  
"He's trying to have a conversation with the Señora. She can't speak English and he can't speak Spanish."  
  
"What about Daniella?"  
  
"My daughter-in-law's taken her out to get her registered in the local private school. We thought it'd be better than having her go public. They have a strict admission's policy."  
  
"So no Dominant could show up."  
  
"Not in a public school. In a private school yes, but they're probably thinking of doing the Hapsburg thing." said Enrique and got back into his car.  
  
Something about Enrique's statement puzzled Ed for a moment, but he could not catch what it was. He began to mull the conversation in his head, but it went along to fast. The Hapsburg thing? There was something else funny, and he was just about to figure it out and then Sloan spoke up. "Didn't the Hapsburg conquer most of Europe by marrying?"  
  
Ed shivered. He did not want to see more Kevins, but he did not want to prevent Tom and Sloan being together, not if the drug was responsible for the Chosen being caught. They could use contraceptives, but if they did, how were they going to find out if the two species successfully live together. He also wondered about Kelly's friend and how her family hid her. Perhaps she had been changed into a Dominant, and perhaps suspecting that these members of the New Species would kill her, her parents kept her hidden. He hoped that Kelly's friend was still alive and more than that, he hoped that she in her Dominant stage had not killed her own parents.  
  
They drove up the road towards the Commander's house, Attwood being very careful and looking back to see if no Dominant driven car was behind them.  
  
8/13/2003 


	22. PLANS CHAPTER TWENTYTWO

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO  
  
The Lincoln parked near a large house, the driver waiting until three cars and a van drove in the driveway. The driver recognized the man in the first car, heavy set with reddish brown hair, bullet shaped head, and a goatee. He stopped the car, got out, went out to the van where he and three other men, one, tall man with dark long brown hair, the other, a Navy officer, and the third, a Marine got out the second car and went over to the van. They opened the back door and helped another man out. This one had dark brown hair, blue eyes, was in his thirties. He looked dazed as if recovering from drugs. There was a woman with him, about the same age. She was quite good looking  
  
The man in the third car, young with light brown hair, took a medical kit from his trunk and walked over.  
  
The driver in the Lincoln recognized the drugged man. "Tom, the Chosen." He started the engine of his car. "Let's see where they're going."  
  
"What do you plan to do?" she asked. She was in her fifties, a still beautiful Mexican woman of Castilian birth, dark wavy hair with an auburn tinge. She wore a simple blouse and skirt, no jewelry except for a crucifix around her neck. Someone had welded the clasp shut and if one turned it around, they could read her name followed by that of the man besides her and the words "Official Joining." She wore no nylons or panty hose on her sandaled feet. .  
  
"Find my daughter," he said, "just because she looks like that human Mexican actress, she thinks she can get a part playing in their movies."  
  
It soon became apparent that this was just a temporary stop. Attwood's group went inside, stayed for about an hour, and then went out again, this time followed by an older man of obvious military bearing.  
  
"The Commander," said Paul, "he might be useful."  
  
"What are you going to do now?"  
  
"You're going to get out and find someone who'll get you close to Anna. There should be a lawyer, an accountant, a music studio. These movie people love to use local talent, Makes them feel good." He shoved her out the car.  
  
By this time, Attwood's group had returned to their vehicles and left for where they were going. Paul took an estimate in what direction they were heading. He did not need to worry. He would find them later.  
  
He got out of his car and knocked on the Commander's door.  
  
"Buenos diás," he said to the maid. "Could I speak to Colonel—"  
  
The information he received was very helpful. In less than half an hour, he found out the names of the businesses and individuals in town that supplied the film company, the restaurant where they got half price in meals, the lawyer who drew up the contract, and the accountant who the Colonel said, :"is the best Navy training pilot he saw in a long time. What did you say the nature of your visit is?" He looked over the identification, Paul showed him.  
  
Paul considered who would be most interesting, narrowing them down to the lawyer and the accountant. The former could easily investigate him as to character and background. The latter would investigate him just as surely, but it would be in regard to his income tax. Paul, being a Mexican citizen, and having a source of money acquired by removing from this earth, the original owners, did not want to have the accountant look into his background and find him guilty of tax evasion. Paul, however, had invested this money in certain banks, making sure that the original spent on perishable items. You could not trace $200 taken from a dead man's pocket if, for instance, you treated everyone to hamburgers and fries at MacDonalds (because of their heightened electrical brainpower, Dominants have a fast metabolism). He decided on a story that would get the Colonel to direct him to either the lawyer or the accountant. e "We hope to adapt some of your experimental airplanes for commercial use, especially for businessmen who are going into hostile territories. Our company has had quite a few close calls."  
  
"I see." The Colonel handed him back his card. "Mr. Sedona. The name seems familiar. I believe a certain Anna Sedona is an actress playing on location near here. A relative?"  
  
"Daughter. Yes, I don't look young enough. Excellent health and good genes. What I'm interested is in the cost to convert the said engine to accommodate someone of non military background. Of course, I can supply a background check just in case there are questions as to his veracity." He paused. "You wouldn't have the phone number of the movie company? I'd like to arrange a visit on the set."  
  
"I can get it for you right now." He walked into the next room, giving Paul enough time to go through the phonebook, and with his brilliant memory, gather information on anyone who would have connections to the movie company, as well as any that Attwood's group would contact.  
  
"Thank you," said Paul when the Colonel returned with several addresses. . "We don't approve of turning our military aircraft to civilians. However as to the other matter, these are the firms and the individuals that may be able to help."  
  
Paul thanked him and left. He checked the addresses, and then put them in the glove compartment. Right now, he was interested in following Attwood's group and getting the Chosen away from them. His senses picked up what no human could. He picked up Lupe's smell and the odor of the gasoline from Attwood's car. They were very close.. His car screeched to a stop just as he saw his prey disappear into the upper class district. 8/20/2003 


	23. PLANS CHAPTER TWENTYTHREE

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE  
  
Attwood and the others arrived at Enrique's residence, a large house with a triple garage, a driveway, and the feeling of wealth. The accountant opened the door, and let Attwood and the others in except for Sloan and Tom.  
  
"Don't you want to stay here?" asked Enrique.  
  
"Tom and I were planning to go for a walk. He's been confined for so long," said Sloan holding onto Tom's hand.  
  
"I wouldn't recommend it," said Ed, "he's still quite weak."  
  
"You can borrow one of my cars and if you're very careful, no one will notice you," said the accountant, tossing them a key. "It's the black one, the Intrigue. That detective and his family are already here. It also looks as if Señora Leon's granddaughter and Valerie have returned. So I've got quite a bit of business to do."  
  
While Tom and Sloan drove off, they went into Enrique's house that was just as wealthy looking as the outside. However, unlike a lot of wealthy families, Enrique had several offspring. One of his sons, Vito, also in the Navy but not in the reserves, worked at the local Veteran's Administration hospital. He was specializing in mental disorders due to chemical imbalances and since Ed's field was in chemistry, Tate and the other man took a great interest in each other.  
  
He was not married to the girl who took Daniella to the school, by the way. That was Cesar who ran a branch of a popular office supply shop. Enrique received either a substantial discount on his printer, fax machines, and various other equipment or else he was just plain wealthy. Attwood suspected it was a combination of both.  
  
The captain helped Ed carry in what they saved when they fled California and the accountant told them they could use his computer. Unfortunately, even though it was almost the latest and fastest one, it did not have the programs required.  
  
"From what you tell me," said Enrique, "it looks like you'd have to go to the Pentagon for verification. What about it Carl. Can you help?"  
  
Putting down the box containing Ed's notes, Carl took the list the doctor showed him. "This is military issue. Just wait a moment." He ran back outside, talked to the Marine officer, and then returned. "My cousin's has to get his jeep out of the garage. He knows someone in the Pentagon and they'll arrange a requisition order. It should be here, if all goes well, about a few hours."  
  
"That fast?" asked Ray.  
  
"He knows quite a few people. I know more, but I'm also stuck here with another case. Someone found a piece of metal and assumed it came from a spaceship. We have to investigate of course."  
  
"Of course."  
  
They heard the garage door shut and the jeep drive away.  
  
Enrique enlisted one of the children to help his new guests clear a couple of rooms to put their equipment when it arrived while he telephoned the Church. "They'll release the body after the autopsy," he said. "Yes the hospital chaplain gave him the last rites—.I'll have my daughter, Linda, bring his best suit tonight."  
  
Ed had taken his binders and books from the box and placed them on a shelf. Meanwhile, another of Enrique's sons, Pedro set up a large desk and a chair and a daughter, Dolores ran down to the basement with a couple of circuit breakers. "We need more power!" she called up.  
  
"How long will it take to add an extra line?" asked Attwood engrossed in checking in his notebook what needed done.  
  
"Too long," said Ed, "we'd have to go to either Home Depot or Tandy for the extra cords and switches and that'd bring up suspicion." He took a serious look at Pedro. The boy looked the same age as the dead Alejandro and so did that girl, what was her name, Dolores? Triplets? Could be. Now if they were Dominants, there'd be another one. Couldn't be. The desk has rollers on the bottom. He apologized to himself for thinking such things. Their uncle belonging to a quasi-secret organization and this being Area 51, naturally the family would act a bit different. Didn't we act strange once we found out about the Dominant plans to kill all of mankind?  
  
Enrique made up a list of the equipment they would need, and as he had a standing account with Tandy, as well as that other store where Cesar worked, he would get anything they wanted at a considerable discount. Over fifty dollars, delivery was free. He would claim it as office expenses and since the management knew that the accountant was always trying out the "latest and greatest" which often caused one or more circuits to blow, no one would be suspicion. It would be that "Enrique's trying out another toy so if there's a brown out, you know who to blame." . Meanwhile Dr. Tate went into the closet, bringing out a box with a cord protruding. Unfortunately, that would not do. It was only a television cable. He listened to Enrique figuring what they needed.  
  
"An extra outlet, battery power supply...I have to cut a hole in the wall, electric tape which I already have—we have to do it ourselves. That'll cut down on the labor. I hope you have some cash ready. For obvious reasons, we can't use your credit cards."  
  
Attwood took several bills out of his wallet. "Will this do?"  
  
"That'll do. Sandra, will you go to Tandy's and pick these up?"  
  
"I'll walk."  
  
While she was on her errand, Enrique cut a hole in the wall to put through the extra cords when they arrived. 


	24. PLANS CHAPTER TWENTYFOUR

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR  
  
"Stop sign. Looks like school's near here," Paul said, as he stop at the crosswalk and several children crossing it. It was way past school hours, but then he saw the girls in their short skirts and school uniform sweaters talking and saw a number of cars in the school parking lot. "Must be one of the human sports games. " He drove more slowly, following Attwood's group at a safe distance, cutting across a side road, and then he missed them.  
  
He was just about to go try another way, when a blue Chevy Malibu driven by a young woman in a black silk blouse and white mini skirt sped by him. Paul spelled her perfume and then spotted someone else in the passenger seat, a Mexican girl about twelve or so and a young woman walking the direction from which the Malibu had come. . He did not recognize the woman, but the girl was the granddaughter of that Mexican woman who had escaped their net. The Dominants had been after them, intending either to kill them as survivors of the massacred village or worse. The old woman was useless, although the granddaughter held promise. Those in the Chameleon program could marry humans and since the Leon's were related (although by a younger son) to Spanish royalty and consequently in the higher strata of Mexican society, a marriage of one of their own to this Daniella would ensure the Dominant control of both Mexican and American politics, that is, if they confined their stay to California, New Mexico, Nevada, or Texas. Or one of them could have her as his concubine or use her to try out this new agent that would make her a carrier of a deadly disease (that is, unless she only mated with Dominants who were immune.)  
  
They had tried it with several school children with a great success. Little did these children realize that once they grew older, and started dating with the usual results, they would pass the disease onto their children which would mean that in around fifteen or twenty years, they would infect their partners who would succumb in five or six years and if they had children, their children too (after the initial immunity given by breast feeding and no one wanted to breast feed their children forever)  
  
He turned his vehicle towards the direction from which the woman had come and soon came upon it.  
  
In front about four houses down stood a large house with a couple of palm trees in front and a hedge that did not have the elaborate shapes of the others. He also noticed a bird pond, and a large attached garage designed for more than two vehicles. The garage door was shut, meaning the owner was at home Intent on checking this house last, he drove down the street.  
  
Meanwhile, Paul's concubine walked down the civilian area, also looking for houses with home offices, concentrating on photographers, lawyers, accountants, and writers, those whom a film producer would deal with. She was not having much luck, until she came to a large house with the sign, "Enrique Gerona Chartered Accountant, audits and tax returns, Se Español aquí  
  
Now the woman was not a fool and would never ask them to help her escape the Dominants. She knew that her owner could kill her at a whim and besides they had inserted a device in her crucifix that would cause her horrendous pain. She had seen it tried out on another captive.  
  
If this Walter Attwood could instigate a rescue, and arrange for a hideout here in the tightest security, he would know how to get to Anna. She only wished that Paul had given her a device to detect Dominants. It would have made it easier for her to approach others and tell of her story if it were not for the treatment of that other captive.  
  
The man who answered the door was tall, and after she babbled on about her being the mother of Anna Sedona and she not being allowed on to the set to see her, he let her in.  
  
"Morons," he said, "I told them that Señora Sedona came from a small village that had been overrun by bandits. They would have to go to the priest to verify her birth, but did they want to? No. Oh allow me to introduce myself, Señor Enrique Talini Gerona "  
  
"Lupe." She thought for a moment. What was Talini or Gerona? It sounded like he was a descendant of an alien who pretended to be an earthman and, married an earth woman -Was not there a movie made of one? The Dominants found an old American movie "I Married a Martian' on a VHS tape. They found it amusing and gave it to the children.  
  
"La Señora de la Sedona," she said. "So how did she get the part? My daughter never expressed an interest in being an actress."  
  
"The film crew went all over Mexico, looking for the right type, someone who looked aristocratic enough. Do you want to sit down?"  
  
The woman did so.  
  
Enrique Gerona had been doing the tax returns for a certain scientist who mentioned the film crew was having difficulty getting permits to do a shoot in the area. He said he would look into it, made a few telephone calls, and got the film company the permit.  
  
"How?" she asked.  
  
"My brother works for a certain organization that investigates flying saucers, most of whom are not from outer space. He's also in the Navy."  
  
"The organization Majestic, it exists, yes?" She hoped this man was not one of the Dominants. They had already infiltrated Area 51 or Paul and her would not have gotten this far.  
  
Yes it does, but there was no Alien plot as depicted in the series. Before Project Blue Book, the Navy had an incident where a flight unit disappeared. The Air Force agreed to let some Navy personnel onto Area 51 because some of the alien vehicles crashed into the sea, probably their Navy. We suspect these aliens are humans kidnapped or children of those abducted and raised in an alien atmosphere. Our goal is to get them back into human society. Unfortunately, they are used to intimidation. We started Majestic so their talents as investigators would discourage anyone getting to close to any crashed sites before ruling out weather balloons, atmospheric storms and the like. Wait there, I'll get you a pass for you and your husband."  
  
"Paul Sedona."  
  
That Black detective was there, talking to a Mexican woman in her fifties, while a young girl translated. Lupe also recognized Attwood who seemed to be waiting for something and kept asking a woman when they would arrive. Lupe did not know this woman. It was not the one with Tom.  
  
"So how is it going to take? I heard that your husband had connections. I'm beginning to doubt that." Attwood looked at his watch. "I wonder what's keeping Tom and Sloan?"  
  
"I think they'll be back soon." She started to look towards the back door.  
  
Lupe's senses were on alert. She had heard no activity. Living with the Dominants for so long had kept her on edge and they had made her believe that they were everywhere. She also found that Señor Gerona's name a little odd, almost as if he made that up. Of course, these Gringos would be unaware of this. American Indians often used first names as surnames, but Señor Gerona was not American Indian, neither was this woman, that is, the Señora Gerona.  
  
"It must be the wind," said Mrs. Gerona.  
  
Lupe breathed easier.  
  
Mr. Gerona brought her a pass, made out to Paul and Lupe Sedona. "If I knew your husband's family lineage, perhaps I could expand it. The director I would know his parents names, also yours." He started to look towards the back door. No, he did not just look; he started walking towards it as if expecting someone.  
  
"That will be fine." She watched him go to the kitchen, and toss his head towards his wife. Lupe did not hear what he said.  
  
By now, Mrs. Gerona had left Attwood's side and gave her husband a look which probably meant, "Why can't you wait until whoever comes is in plain sight? They're beginning to get suspicious!"  
  
Lupe pretended she did not catch on. Five minutes later, she heard a van drive up and saw the shadow of a man approach the back door.  
  
"Package here for Mr. Enrique Gerona."  
  
It was not Federal Express. Two Marine privates carried a large box into the house. "Where do you want it sir?"  
  
"In there," said Gerona, pointing to a large room.  
  
"Thank you sir. We'll be back with the other equipment." Leaving the box for Attwood to open, they returned struggling with a large carton they pushed into the house with the help of Mr. Gerona who had removed both doors.  
  
"Excuse me, señora," said one of the Marines to Lupe. This box took a lot of space. Both Marines had to tip it on one side to get it past the bookcase built into the wall.  
  
Meanwhile, the accountant talked to the two officers, one Navy, and one Air force, who came from the front of the van. From what Lupe overheard, some secret unofficial government organization had confiscated Walter Attwood's equipment and the military intelligence was investigating a certain someone, referred to as 'Alana'. She was also responsible for removing a certain Lewis from Police Custody but he had disappeared..It appeared that The Chosen's mentor had escaped. The Air force officer referred to his rescuers as "they."  
  
He's speaking about the Dominants, thought Lupe.  
  
"Several of the items, the radio for instance, the communications center, a standard issue jeep, plus several uniforms were stolen from Quantico, also recovered was six standard issue assault rifles from Fort.. "The Navy officer continued listing the items and the several bases in Eastern United States who reported them missing. He did not include any base west of the Mississippi.  
  
Although Lupe moved over to the loveseat, she was still in the way as the privates and Señor Gerona started to move the furniture to a spare bedroom to accommodate another object coming through the back door.  
  
"I'll get an exacto knife," said one of the privates. "Are you sure you can manage, sir?"  
  
"Right," said Gerona as if this box weighed but a few ounces. Both privates had been straining their muscles and they looked like body builders.  
  
How about coming into the kitchen?" Mrs. Gerona asked Lupe.  
  
Lupe hesitated, knowing Paul would punish her. He always wanted to know where she was and the kitchen was out of the view of the front room window. She then decided that if the Geronas were Dominants, Paul would not mind and if they were not, she could take his wrath. 8/27/2003 


	25. PLANS CHAPTER TWENTYFIVE

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE  
  
Meanwhile, Paul having checked the other addresses, and finding that Lupe had also asked them questions about their involvement with the Movie Company, decided to drive back to that large house. It was the last one on the list and if he knew anything about Attwood, his group would be there. He checked the information again. Enrique Gerona moved here about ten years ago from a small town in Vermont after a stint in the Navy. He was in his late forties, married with twenty children and numerous grandchildren. The name Gerona seemed similar to that name Geronti. Was not there a Geronti who had a bone transfusion back in the 1980s?  
  
Roderick talked about a Mexican doctor approaching him because the Norte Americanos were desperate. Roderick volunteered to donate some of his bone marrow. It was not a gratuitous decision. The Dominants wanted to keep themselves secret and if they donated blood or bone marrow to obvious humans, there would be humans with enough Dominant DNA to be noticeable by the machines, but not enough to alter their natural physiology.  
  
Paul took out his calculator, not the ordinary ones that most people had, but specifically altered and improved by the Dominants. It could get any information from anywhere. He checked to see if there were any similarities between this Gerona or Geronti.  
  
They were brothers.  
  
He found that Carl worked for an organization called Majestic. That was the reason for the different names, to confuse the weak minded humans and he suspected something else. These two were probably also members of the New Species, but Paul could not tell from where. They did not act like him, or like those from the Lost Ships who were always hiding, a contact out for their capture or execution. However, he would check with Roderick and the rest of the Council, finding out if they were survivors of the dispersal, but he could not be sure.  
  
He decided to go a different way just in case someone had watched him go down the street after spotting the woman, so he drove in a seemingly haphazard fashion. He asked a man who was overcurious where the Space Museum was and when the man demanded what he was talking about, Paul remarked that there should be one here, especially with all that outer space activity.  
  
At last, he decided to go to the Enrique house. He used all his Dominant senses, at last, driving down the street, and seeing the large house with all that activity.  
  
He saw Attwood and Tate's cars as well as the van. He also saw The Chosen and his female drive up. Tom seemed a little better, the drugs and injections having worn off. That meant that The Chosen was now at the height of his natural powers. Too bad, Lewis's control has worn off, it's for the best.  
  
Paul parked the car on the other side of the street and walked over. He did not have to worry about Tom recognizing him.  
  
When he got to the door, Paul's senses went on high alert. There was another Dominant besides Tom here, no more than one, yes several. He hoped Tom knew and it appeared he did.  
  
Mr. Gerona had that "Ah, someone I can relate to" look which was oblivious to Attwood and the others. He was chatting with Tom, not with the 'making conversation' he must have had with Attwood or Tate, but as someone to whom he considered an equal. Mr. Gerona was a 1.6r and Attwood would soon know, for now Paul could sense that the computer being unpacked was the same type that had detected the New Species.  
  
Paul had to get in before Attwood plugged it into the wall. No one noticed him coming in, he had used the masking routine, no one except a young man who came with Dr. Ed Tate from another room.  
  
"What are you doing here?" he demanded.  
  
"Who are you talking to?" asked Ed.  
  
The young man turned back to the doctor for a moment and Ed suddenly saw Paul standing there, but it was the young man who did all the talking.  
  
"I was studying. I have this delicate operation to do, one that Dr. Tate is familiar with and all I hear is Father and the whole United States military moving in some secret equipment. It's bad enough that Uncle belongs to Majestic and practically knows everyone in the CIA. He's not behind this farce, is he?" He turned to Paul. "You could have knocked. Oh maybe not, nobody else does."  
  
Attwood now noticed the stranger standing there. "How did you get here?"  
  
Paul, having been trained by the best, fell into his new routine. "I'm having trouble with my expenses. I should have knocked, but I figured if I just walk in, I wouldn't have to worry about making an appointment." He looked at his watch. "I have to be in Seattle in a couple of days."  
  
"Kind of rushing it, aren't you?" asked the young man.  
  
Mrs Gerona made an excuse for her son. "Vito could have boarded at the hospital residence, but no one wanted him. Takes after his Uncle."  
  
"Vito's just nervous about tomorrow's procedure," said Ed, "it's only been performed successfully in the major cities. New Equipment?"  
  
Bringing out several bills of sales, purchase receipts, and fliers, pointing to each piece of equipment, Attwood gave a smirk as he examined each. "That's supposed to be a fax machine. Over to the wall is a set of books on recent tax laws, that detector, according to the receipt, is a 500 gigahertz Computer with a CD room..." He now noticed the stranger standing there. "How did you get here?"  
  
"I'm looking for someone who can get me to see my daughter. I believe that the man here does business with studio," said Paul.  
  
"Ah finally the truth. I didn't believe you the first time. You don't like the type who'd rush off to Seattle on a whim. I do the accounting for them," said Enrique. "Just give me the details."  
  
"My village was visited by an earthquake which wiped out the church and birth records along with many of the population." He did not want to tell this accountant that his group was responsible for many of the deaths, taking advantage of the natural disaster. These had lived with humans for so long, they probably thought like them. He would have to educate them slowly.  
  
Meanwhile, the others had the computer set up along with the program that determined whether one was a human or a dominant.  
  
Ed Tate decided to volunteer, and the test showed him a true human. "This is an improvement over the other machine," he said to Attwood as Tom and Sloan came into the room, "it shows several more degrees. It might also detect the phrase before."  
  
At that Paul perked up. Maybe this will be useful after all, he thought. The Council had wisely forbidden changing a human to a Dominant by injection and just as wisely banished Randall Lynch to be confined in the human penal system, the latter being a firm supporter of this method. The Council had sent one of their executioners to eliminate a certain human female before she brought attention on herself by killing Ed Tate. If the doctor had known the Council had saved his life, he would give up his goal to change them to weak humans.  
  
Paul went into the kitchen where Mrs. Gerona offered him and Lupe some tea and cookies. Lupe was very glad to see him. I mean to Paul, if he were killed, they might turn her over to a Dominant not so kind. Mrs. Gerona was a Dominant who had lived with humans most of her life, so Paul introduced Lupe as: "mí esposa" rather than his slave girl or slave woman as the case would be. However, when Mrs. Gerona noticed that Lupe was a bit more apprehensive and yet there were no bruises, Paul came right out that she was his Favorite, which was when a man took a concubine to wife.  
  
She accepted that after Paul told her, "Granting a girl the honor of being a Favorite means that the children she has have the same last name as the father and are legitimate. I'm not a homo sapien, by the way."  
  
"Another planet?"  
  
"You could say that.:" He looked over where the others were testing the machine for variables. She would know soon and then he would have to educate the whole family on true Dominant behavior, not that Vito, Enrique, or that Navy officer needed that, but the women and the others might.  
  
The Marines and Vito put the furniture back and fixed the back doors. Vito had to go to the hospital, so they drove off leaving Attwood with a puzzle. Who had been that man in the living room and why was Enrique's wife talking to him with such enthusiasm? Was Enrique a Dominant and if he was, why had he been living in New Jersey until being transferred here by his firm? He decided to do a little research. He excused himself and went out to his car.  
  
9/3/2003 


	26. PLANS CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX  
  
Attwood opened the trunk of his car, taking out a notepad from his briefcase. He could not use the Gerona's electricity without them being suspicious, but then if the Geronas were Dominants (which he doubted), they had lived as humans for so long that they did not consider themselves a threat.  
  
"What's going on?" asked Ray as Attwood plugged the notepad into the wall.  
  
"Trying to find something about our host." He looked around for an extra telephone plug. "Don't worry, I'll leave enough money to pay for the connection."  
  
He watched as the introduction screen to Earth Link faded and the knowledge he requested started to come into focus.  
  
According to information known only to the highest source, the Geronas or Gerontis first appeared in the middle nineteen forties, after an airplane crash in the New Mexican desert, near Roswell. Unlike the one reported in the Sunday Tabloids and Bluebook, this airplane crash was unreported, leading Attwood to believe it was also an Unidentified Flyer Saucer, but it appeared the survivors either made a pact with the military or were mistaken as homo sapiens. It could be that the aliens, if that fantastic story was true, disguised their ship to resemble a conventional plane—although Attwood doubted this. If they could, the news of a small plane crash near Roswell would be in the local papers.  
  
Shortly after that, certain men in black suits started to appear, threatening anyone who got too close to UFOS and since the government wanted to keep a lid on things (it was the beginning of the Cold War and there was also Odessa) they formed Majestic. In time, Majestic and these men in black got confused. Attwood suspected that some of the latter actually joined Majestic to give themselves a cover -at least, that is what the rumor said.  
  
Of course, Enrique Gerona being the son of some humanoid who went around threatening people who saw flying saucers was nonsense. I would rather believe he is a Dominant, thought Walter. He took Sloan aside and whispered to her.  
  
"According to NASA, several solar system might contain life similar to ours," she said, "and a few of them are in line so that visitors might come from thence, but unless there is a warp or worm hole similar to Star Trek or that movie Stargate, they'd take centuries to get here."  
  
"That is probably what my captor was working on," said Tom, "making sure that she could lay claim to Space before anyone else did."  
  
"To have an artificial wormhole or transport," said Enrique, "you have to stand close enough and climb into it so that the force can pull you in. There may have been natural wormholes, but I have only seen them in movies. Your daughter is in a movie." He looked at Paul who had come from the kitchen, followed by Lupe..  
  
"I doubt that her costume would be attire in the twenty eighth century. As for that wormhole, it has to be vertical rather than horizontal. If one tries to enter from an extensive height, one will enter and fall, breaking into pieces."  
  
They continued this conversation about space travel and wormholes, until Ed walked over.  
  
"It's all well and good to talk about Space travel, but we have to take tests to see if the machine works." Ed explained the procedure of detecting 1.6rs.  
  
"What do you plan to do with this knowledge? I know quite a bit of the law and if you do something unethical, it might not look too well." Enrique paused. "Do you realize that there are not enough men and women of sufficient intelligence or nerve to fight space monsters, if there were such? Coming Paul?"  
  
Paul feigned disinterest. "It does seem interesting, but not practical. In order for that to happen, you'll have to sacrifice the interests of others much like they did in USSR. Lupe, get on the telephone and talk to that director. Tell him that Señor and Señora Sedona are coming to see their daughter with Mr. Enrique Gerona tomorrow morning."  
  
"Who do I ask for? Señor Idiot?" asked Lupe.  
  
"Yes Lupe." He was smiling.  
  
The woman with the girl started chattering in Spanish, but no one seemed interested. They were all watching Ed set up the computer program, explaining that it might detect certain stages between humans and dominants. "I was thinking that we might found out if, for instance, the stepping stones, the previous generations," he said, "also my fiancé before she was killed, was a 1.4. Now the previous program only detected 1, 1.4, and 1.6. She had several outbursts, mostly violent."  
  
"That's not normal," said Paul, "Randall Lynch."  
  
"Did you know him?"  
  
"I heard of him, a rogue. He tried that experiment before. I was with the police in Sonora Province when we came upon a man wandering in the desert. He told of someone injecting something in him. He showed the same characteristics. Oh and he would have killed us." He did not notice Attwood take a sample from his collar and put it in the slide.  
  
"Could be a connection," said Enrique, "what did this Lynch do?"  
  
"Didn't you read the news?" asked Attwood.  
  
"This is Area 51. All we get is 'Alien invasion proves to be a hoax' or 'is our Mayor a Martian?' I would suspect California kept a lid on this information."  
  
"They thought it wise not to publish the news. The Dominants killed a certain reporter who was about to reveal their presence." He passed the sample to Ed who put it under the microscope. "Randall Lynch also killed several men, raped their women, and picked up two teenagers, injecting them with the Dominant DNA using an insect as host."  
  
Enrique nodded. "I presume the speed of the transformation caused a violent reaction. It's not like when a baby grows in the womb. That takes nine months at the most. Do you know any incidents of a human and a dominant getting together?"  
  
"Kevin. His father was a Dominant and his mother human, through seduction. He killed one older boy and seriously injured another. He almost killed Sloan and murdered his own stepfather."  
  
"His mother, guilty over her fling, gave in to his every whim I suppose."  
  
"You know a lot about human nature."  
  
"I work for the IRS . They took down Al Capone. We're taught to read people, the ways their eyes blink when they lie. Now did you test for the phrases before, Doctor?" He looked at Ed.  
  
"The samples were confiscated. We do know," said Ed, "that if we try to change a Dominant to a human, eventually it becomes fatal. That's why we had to monitor Tom who volunteered."  
  
"Sounds like envy," said Paul, "how would you feel if someone took away your eyes?" He was almost on top of Ed. "What else does this machine show?"  
  
"Unlike the former one which just showed whether someone had 1.0 or 1.6, this shows five complete steps. Kelly, killed by the Dominants, was at 1.4, probably a violent stage that threatens both our species. This program has secondary program I will now initialize. It gives the DNA marker compensating for the differences, just in case, Mr. Sedona? Was that your name?" At Paul's nod, he continued, "They have doubts that you are Anna's father. I can put your results on a card, and sign a declaration. You'll have no trouble seeing her."  
  
Paul agreed.. "You have watched too many talk shows, but it would help. Just in case, will you be taking tests of everyone here?"  
  
"Yes, I'll have to get the Gerona's permission to do their children. They of course will be a control."  
  
"Good idea. Oh why weren't you killed?"  
  
"Attwood, look at this."  
  
Walter examined the findings. It was true. The Geronas and that probably included the entire family were Dominants. He should have come to that conclusion sooner if it were not that they were on a military base.. "No wonder he and his brother moved so fast. I wonder if the Navy knows."  
  
In Area 51, everyone got a DNA test, even the children, although the machine to detect Dominants was unavailable until now. The rest of the Geronas were Dominants. Ed also examined the DNA of Lupe, the "Mexican Señora" as the Geronas called her. She was human, just as the Leons were. He had no need to take Sloan, and the other's samples were on record.  
  
Now Ed had to examine the DNA of the unwanted guest and he was sure that except for the trouble with his daughter, Anna, Paul would make sure that such a test never happened. He put Paul's strand of hair under the microscope and was not surprised. He also was a Dominant.  
  
"I think you two didn't know of each other," he said to Gerona, showing him the results and then got ready to put in the other program that would determine if they were related. .  
  
"My father came from another planet," said Enrique, "and I was born here and my father took out American citizenship. Of course, if you do go into outer space, you can't fight against a certain planet in the Orion system. Duel citizenship. Oh the military here knows about it and if anyone in the forces other than here, find out, they're either discredited or transferred here."  
  
"That would mean your father came here when America and the Soviet Union were at odds. Sputnik, the Space race, and I thought all aliens were little green men," said Attwood.  
  
"This answers a few questions. My brother waited over ten years to get a bone marrow donation and his donor came from Mexico."  
  
"Do you know whereabouts?"  
  
"I believe it was near Oaxaca."  
  
Sloan almost gasped. "Do you know who it was? His name?"  
  
"No, but I'd like to find if they were successful because they were Dominants or successful because of a familial relationship."  
  
9/13/2003 


	27. PLANS CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN  
  
"So," said Ed, "you want a true DNA test to determine relationships. If Paul and Mrs. Paul consent, will you be satisfied?"  
  
"As long as you do everyone here. Make up an excuse. Say that you suspect Tom was harder to recover because they injected him with a virus. Tell them that it took this long to get it out of his system, but in the meantime; some of us might be infected. My son can help you."  
  
Ray frowned and Gerona was convincing with his, "if any of my children got sick, I'll sue" routine. Of course, no one believed him for a minute. After all, they were Dominants and Gerona had a specific reason for this knowledge.  
  
Since, thought Paul, he is also one of us, he wants to find what one of us volunteered that bone marrow to get his brother back in the Navy; and thought, Ray, he wants to find out if these Mexican Dominants are also here and if they could brainwash Tom, they could brainwash the Geronas in thinking they are from another world. .  
"I can prepare the samples," said Sloan, "I think I will go first." She took a swab from inside her mouth, inserting it in the slide. She then took specimens from the group. "Now I'll compare them to see if there is any matching DNA." Eliminating the Mexican woman, her granddaughter, Attwood, Ray, his family, and Ed., she then compared Enrique's and his family to that of Paul or Tom. "It says that you, Mr. Gerona and your family are all dominants, but not from that area in Mexico where they evolved, sorry if that offends you. I've compared Tom's samples to that of Paul and his family, also no relations, but."  
  
"What about you?"  
  
"As you can see," she said, "Enrique, I am not related to Attwood, Tate, Ray, or his family. You do have a particular component, I cannot identify." She inserted a slide. "Not related to you either, just in case one side of the family became Dominants and the others, stayed human Now, I'll take the slides of the Sedonas." She put two samples of DNA, one from Paul, the other from Lupe, comparing it with her own.  
  
"When did your brother have his surgery?" Attwood asked Gerona.  
  
"It was in the nineteen eighties."  
  
"If a donor was found, the transplant would not have worked. Even though you are a Dominant, you have something in your blood, lets call it the Alien Factor. The doctor would have had to inject this into the donor's bone marrow. No one could do that until the early eighties."  
  
Suddenly Sloan gasped.  
"What's wrong?" asked Tom.  
  
"I'll show you." She made a print out of three of the charts and taped them to the wall. "Now this is Paul Sedona' and Mrs. Sedona's and mine."  
  
Walter, then Ed, Ray, and finally the Dominants and Lupe looked at it. It was true. The three charts were similar. There was no doubt. Paul and Lupe were Sloan's real parents.  
  
Lupe had just left her seat, running over, and hugging Sloan, and then saying to Paul. "I have to make a special cake for the occasion."  
  
"Chocolate. Go ahead. She made one when John mated with Susan. It's a Mexican custom. So this is the weak child," said Paul smiling at Sloan.  
  
"What weak child?" asked Ed.  
  
"We had to give her away or the others would kill her. She had been promised to the Chosen. If she had not been human, like you, she would have received the tattoo and when she was eight, the ceremony would have taken place making her, we call it by a different term, the wife of the Chosen with all the privileges and power therein."  
  
Blanca ran up to Lupe, hugging and chattering in Spanish, not caring if Paul Sedona understood. "I thought you were dead. I heard you scream."  
  
"I thought if I survived, they would sell me to a Cantina. I did not mind the torture, I would be in heaven," said Lupe, "but they did not just beat me, I was—  
  
"This is my grand daughter," said Blanca, introducing Daniella "When I returned home, I missed you. A week later, my father and mother awoke me, saying, 'Blanca, we hear noises. Go to the hills and hide. They gave me some pesos and a small chest fill of jewels, saying it was an inheritance and gave me the address of an aunt in Los Angeles. But I hesitated and they came. I hid in the cellar. I heard my parents scream and I heard gunfire. I peered through the grating and then I saw the bodies of my parents, my neighbors, everyone was dead except for a boy and a girl which they gagged and put on a truck."  
  
She crossed herself. "Madre de Diós! I saw the Alvarez girls who just had their sixth birthday and all their friends dead on their porch before the men took something from their pockets. There was a flash and no more. No more bodies. And you became a mother very young."  
  
"I was old enough to, according to them.. The Dominant girls are ready for children at eight years old. Too much blood."  
  
Blanca crossed herself. "He does not beat you much, no?"  
  
"No. Just wash this, fix that, when's breakfast, the usual."  
  
Paul smiled slightly on hearing that. He would not kill this Mexican woman nor take her granddaughter. Well, he would not stop any other Dominant, but he could persuade him not to use her until the girl could survive. He continued talking about how Sloan was the way she was "None of us knew it was because we were short of food. It had to be doled according to position, what you would have called class," said Paul, "If we had gone into the nearby area, the Rurales would have been all over us. It would have meant our extinction. Soon after that, we entered the United States where because we look like you, we could hide."  
  
"So I am not a dominant because you didn't give my mother enough food?" asked Sloan.  
  
"Yes. Lupe's my favorite. You understand what that means. I didn't want to kill you, so we left you at a hospital. I left a note, saying the mother was Norte Americano, so that the baby would be adopted out of Mexico." He took a pen from his jacket. "Tom was ordered to kill you because of your boss got too close and you decided to snoop."  
  
Sloan looked puzzled. "Isn't the Chosen, your ruler?"  
  
"The Chosen must show no partiality even to his own kind. He did save one of the humans he had to kill and killed another in his place and that one belongs to him. We will find him and give him to the Chosen."  
  
"Have you spread to the outer planets since my confinement by the humans?"  
  
"I think Gerona's father came from a planet similar to Earth where they all were the New Species. I took over as an FBI agent, among other things. Is the one who infiltrated the legal system in his right mind, Paul?"  
  
"At present, however we is no danger to our species only to the humans. We call him the Advocate. I will get in touch with him."  
  
Sloan remembered the young woman, Anna, comparing her features to that of Paul and Lupe. She also estimated her age to be in her thirties that would make Lupe about fourteen when she had her. Why if Paul raped her when she was twelve—they did not give her time to recover! However, she calmed down enough to ask what she knew was true. "You said your daughter is an actress. Is she the offspring of you and Lupe?"  
  
"Yes as are my other children. They are known as Progenies."  
  
Sloan thought of Anna again and the Dominant's reticence, imagining a theory where Lupe had not just one girl but two, her and Anna. Because Lupe was human, and Paul was a Dominant, the Dominant twin would survive at the expense of the other. It was a scientific theory, comparable to when one twin died in the womb and the other survived. Only unlike human babies, the weaker twin did not die, it just lost its Dominance as all the nourishment meant to ensure survival in their particular universe went to the stronger one, that is Anna. She had to ask her father when she knew him better. Right now was not the time, so she referred to a specific young enemy the group had encountered not too long ago. "And they do not manipulate you like that Kevin?"  
  
Paul found this question absurd, but he did give a brief description on how they raised their children. No one received any extra privileges and even the children destined to be the rulers or leader were punished when they crossed the line. None of the children mocked the child who was smaller or appeared weaker as this was deceptive and the older Dominants supervised fights between them.  
  
When Ray questioned this, the Dominant explained. "We still bear the seeds of our ancestors, their physical size and appearance. Some could come from Southern Italy and some from Norway. We have no weakness. It just looks like some do."  
  
Tom now showed his true leadership. "I want an account of all Dominant Children, regular and Progenies and the methods and discipline, training and such." He stopped for a moment.  
  
"I'll have to talk to Roderick, another of our Councilors," said Paul, "I would say it's like your Senate. The order that you have to kill Sloan has been rescinded, but not for her relationship to her former boss. It was given separately."  
  
"What do you mean separately?" asked Attwood.  
  
He pointed to the computer and the DVD. "That. You have compared the two media, have you not and seen the connection? I see you have. When the Council meets, they keep four chairs empty in memory of the Lost Ships. Through the mate of our Advocate, we obtained a list of those of your species who accompanied us to our location."  
  
"So why was it kept secret?"  
  
Paul smiled. "I believe there was a war How we got the list is not for debate, but I can obtain a copy if you let me at your machine." He went over to the computer, and typed in a web address. "The information is coded." He took out a CD from his pocket. "I hope you have plenty of room. This will decode it. We must remain cautious so The Council will take down the website."  
  
A few minutes later, they had a printout. It indicated eight boats with eight couples and appeared that because of deaths, desertion, and the bombings, there should have been more. The names of the passengers, that is, the human ancestors of the Dominants, the list identified as to Country, and numbers, m after the number, indicating male, f indicating female. On top of each list was the name of two military officers with instructions that one would stay for a year to help the ancestors while the other would return.  
  
"Wait a minute," said Sloan as she read the list, "Is he related to me?"  
  
"Parker. No and you may count yourself fortunate," said Paul.  
  
"Then you knew about me."  
  
"No. We compared the DNA of your adoptive parents as everyone with that name with those of this man. We heard that he came into a fortune. Attwood, you must have been in the military. Did you receive a substantial income?"  
  
"The military has certain rules as to wages and benefits."  
  
"The Lost Ships for which we remember each setting, of which a Mr. Parker, a Royal Navy officer was one of the humans accompanying it and who sent the two ships to the rocks, and destroyed the identifications of those on board. So, by order of the Council, every Parker related to this man is to die unless that one separates himself or herself from the evil that permeates their soul. However, the date has to be set. We just found the DNA of your parents a week ago. They were stubborn. They did not believe it was a test to eliminate innocence."  
  
"Innocence?" asked Sloan, wondering if that evil permeating could mean curse in Dominant language. .  
  
"We needed then to agree to the test as your parents were stubborn, so we waited until an incident occurred. Your adoptive father frequented a certain club to which another man did, a man who had a knife fight with another man. No fatalities, but when the police took samples to find who held the knife, they eliminated your adoptive father. The Medicals said he was quite angry, something about a voyage."  
  
He was right. The Parkers, Sloan's adoptive parents, were often on a voyage to one place of another. Messages sent by Sloan often returned with "not available' and the connection between California and remote areas were often tenuous at best. Sloan's sister, a doctor, also had the Wanderlust, serving in isolated hospitals. The last time, she was in Saudi Arabia. Sloan had no idea where she would be next.  
  
She, however, wanted to know about her new family. As far as the human origins, her father said that they came from Central Spain. He had no idea of the original name, only that they were in place of another disqualified, but since that disqualified belonged to another Country, the origin was not changed. Paul said something Roderick giving him a trophy, something indicating the Sedona's true origins.  
  
"Why do you kill our species when progenies now exist?" she asked.  
  
"Our species must survive for this reason." He then elaborated. At first, the Dominants assumed that when the Progenies mated, their children would be homo sapiens. However, the birth of Paul's grandchildren proved otherwise. Even though one of the sons (of whom Paul never mentioned by name because it was a touchy subject) was a Chameleon who married a homo sapien, his children were all Dominants as were those of the children who kept to their own kind. They eliminated only on advice of the Council, and with discretion. The humans could credit a few executions or eliminations to some crazy, but become suspicious, as Sloan did when she saw those glasses, of the annihilation of several hundred people. "However, a certain branch of the Dominants, the Lynches, did not obey our orders. By the way, they wanted to be in the Chosen, but our Council wisely refused."  
  
"And how do you plan to get both our species to cooperate?" asked Ray, "forget what you people have done?"  
  
"Think Detective, what happened when your people finished a war? Did they go home and kill everyone? That woman, Attwood's boss, wanted to kill all of us or send us to some planet as an unwilling work force, or fight their battles. And none of us wanted to live like those traitors, wishing they were like you, losing their abilities. The Geronas have survived without you being the wiser."  
  
"Mr. Sedona," said Attwood, "both our species cannot survive together. Evolution has proved it."  
  
"A flawed theory, Mr. Attwood. Two species, one more intelligent than the other can for we can produce food where you people cannot and at less cost. I will be getting back to Roderick with some suggestions. And you better be careful. We do disguise our killings to resemble those of a maniac, those maniacs or serial killers who have not been caught" He motioned to Lupe. "Randall not only had a name brother plus a clone, he had other members of his family, those who were not exact duplicates. By now, they have learned of you. Oh thanks for the passes. We'll be watching the shooting, not of certain individuals, but the movie."  
  
Attwood, Ed, and Ray breathed easier when the Sedonas left. Tom was now besides Sloan, protecting her just in case one of the Lynches used the masking technique and entered the Gerona household. "This might alter my plans. You see, I want Sloan as my, the humans call it, wife."  
  
"And I don't care how many Lynches there are, both of us will fight them together," said Sloan, but she could not hide her blush.  
  
Paul Sedona heard this while on the porch. "Human emotions," he said, "acceptable and this is a good place to hide. Area 51." He addressed Enrique Gerona who followed him "They expect people here to be of high intelligence and any human on the outside will think it is they who finally settled the other planets. Just let them keep that illusion."  
  
9/17/2003 


	28. PLANS CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT  
  
Enrique and Carl had left to arrange the funeral while the Sedonas went to see their famous actress daughter. As soon as they left, Blanca asked, through Sloan, how she could rescue her friend.  
  
"We can't do that right now," said Attwood, "we have another problem."  
  
"How many generations of interspecies mating or marriage will it take before they revert to become like us? I've done a lot of studies on genetics and it took at least a hundred years before blue and gray eyes showed in Southern Europe after the barbaric invasions."  
  
We should ask in one hundred years, will we be extinct and they be our descendants?" asked Attwood.  
  
"Quiet," said Sloan, "all we knew before this was Kevin, who was spoiled rotten and now this Sedona shows up on our doorstep. Perhaps it has to do with the Dominant way of bringing up their children. The Geronas and Sedonas did a good job. Paul did say he was to get in contact with a certain Dominant leader, Roderick. Perhaps we "  
  
"A trap?"  
  
Sloan shook her head. "Paul said that they did not want to join through weakness and we know that Enrique and Carl are Navy man."  
  
"That's it!" shouted Ed, "if we get them to all join the Navy and become Navy Seals, our problem is solved!"  
  
"As long as they don't get into power. I have no idea how their social structure is. The Sedonas may be the exception. Wait a moment, Tom, what influence does the Council have?"  
  
"When the Limousine lady was interrogating me, they used a certain drug which has the opposite effect on us as it does on humans. It wipes out any hypnotic suggestions given by our mentors."  
  
"To prevent you from revealing any knowledge that would be dangerous to your species,"  
  
"Yes, but since your birth father was a Dominant, I can tell you something about it. The Council consists of an equal amount of men and women, twelve in all representing the chief couple of each vessel our ancestors arrived from the Old World. They are missing four and four empty seats are put in place in remembrance of the Lost Ships."  
  
"But do they have a head, a leader?"  
  
"The Chosen is the leader sent out to conquer the humans or if necessary to exterminate them. They decided on that course, because although there are successful Progenies like that actress and her brother, unless they are raised according to the strict Dominant style, they become like Kevin. Being arrogant and superior to all is one thing, killing in a rage is another and we do not kill haphazardly or for revenge. Every extermination is done with careful thought and to not single out one group as what happened in your World War 11."  
  
He also explained about Liza Lars and why Lewis killed her. The Dominants preferred that each female bore an equal amount of boys and girls—that is those four undeveloped fetuses in his mate's womb were two boys and two girls. "When a female has four girls, the Council has to find mates from four different families. The same is with having four boys. I have two sisters, and my birth companion who was killed, has children of his own."  
  
"I'm sorry," said Sloan, "did you find another?"  
  
"There was a female of our species, but not approved by the Council. It did not last long. They will never be part of the Chosen and have been provided for. The female was summarily punished. We have very strict rules but I won't dwell on that." He sat down on the couch, leaning his right arm along the back. "If no mate is found for all four sisters or brothers, the remnant goes out as hunters or executioners."  
  
"But it isn't their fault."  
  
"We have to preserve our species. We did not have that privilege of starting with brothers mating with sisters. The nearest relationship is first cousins. Mating two closely similar to each other would decrease our abilities, make us..."  
  
"Like us?"  
  
"Yes. I realize the experiment was a failure. Combining both species done without having a Kevin or rather having an Anna or a John, would be a success. In time, as generations are born of the Progenies, the result would be someone having the intelligence, foreseeing and heightened awareness of the Dominant but the feelings and emotions of a human, but without the uncontrollable rage they are prey to."  
  
"But there will be no trace of human DNA. We will have died, just as sure as your species killed us. It happened to the Neanderthals. They died when our ancestors came to be."  
  
"Wait a minute," said Ed, "perhaps their influence came in other ways. Sloan, you were on that trip to Europe with your Professor weren't you? You wanted to know how they disappeared."  
  
"Yes. I noticed that much of the population of Europe could readily be taken for modern versions of Neanderthals and yet when I took samples of bones and my Professor compared them with the locals, the DNA did not match. That's what started my interest in Anthropology. How could a species look so similar and yet not be?"  
  
"How can dominants look like homo sapiens and yet not be?"  
  
"Right Ed. Our DNA being destroyed is not the problem. It's in the brain! It's the mind we have to look at!"  
  
"Can we ask the Sedonas to volunteer?"  
  
"I suppose so. What are you going to do?"  
  
Ed inserted a program into the computer. "We have to find a large open area, and we have to get some Dominants to cooperate as well as us. You cannot volunteer, Sloan, sorry. I don't know how much Dominant influence is in your makeup. You are brighter than usual and stronger. I'll be one of the volunteers."  
  
"I'll do it," said Ray.  
  
"And Walter?"  
  
"Yes if it's going to solve the problem. How many Dominants do you need?"  
  
"Besides Tom, two more. It has to be those raised in the Dominant way of thinking. I don't know whether race has any bearing," said Ed, "so perhaps Mark could be one of them. He'll be Ray's counterpart.:"  
  
"Wait a minute," said Sloan, "Tom proposed to me. Will the experiment determine if we will have children?"  
  
"Tom what do you think?"  
  
"We know the Sedonas are a success story, so a Kevin is not inevitable. Our matings are done in a special ceremony by one of ours trained in such matters. I believe you have an equivalent. It has to be impressive enough to influence my species. However we still have the death of that young Dominant to consider. Paul, I suspect, witnessed it and told the others of my kind."  
  
"I was thinking a justice of the peace or saying our vows quietly," said Sloan.  
  
Ed wrinkled his face. "I doubt the Dominants will try anything in a large church with too many witnesses. They want to keep their identity secret until they have enough numbers to be an actual threat." 9/25/2003 


	29. PLANS CHAPTER TWENTY NINE

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE  
  
It was hard seeing a small coffin in front of the Church, hard to see a family who had little emotions, hard to see someone who could not scream and because of that, would not be understood.  
  
The Geronas sat in the mourners's room, hearing the Priest intone how such a brilliant boy Alejandro was. How he was always polite, how he won the Science Project, etc. How even though he did not like to sing, was an excellent violinist, and so on.  
  
The obituary had mentioned that he died suddenly, a euphemism for accident or murder and donations were to go to the Children's Hospital. If someone misunderstood that he had died of a fatal illness, his father was not worried.  
  
They buried Alejandro in the children's section of the cemetery where they had angels sprouting wings and epithets such as:"She's playing with Jesus now." Enrique ordered a plaque which stated Alejandro's birth and death and "Taken too soon." It would arrive a week from Monday.  
  
Meanwhile Tom and Sloan prepared for their wedding and since Sloan did not know Tom's real name, Daniels being taken from another FBI agent, they decided to go with that one. However in order for that to happen, the other Tom Daniels had to disappear but Tom did not want to be responsible for his killing. Fortunately the other Tom Daniels got reassigned to another state, and the group found that Tom Daniels was not an uncommon name, so they did not have to worry.  
  
Paul notified the Council, telling them that Sloan was his daughter, and that the humans had improved the program that showed the differences between the 1.0 of homo sapiens and the 1.6 of Dominants. ( Ever since the Progeny program proved a success, the term humans was fast going out of style.). Since the young female, Kelly, had turned to a 1.4 through Randall Lynch's injection, and since they had to mercifully put her to sleep to prevent her from harming them or the weaker species, the Dominants ensured the homo sapiens they could track down and punish whomever of their kind was doing an illegal injection.  
  
On learning of Tom's marriage proposal to Sloan, the Council agreed on one condition, that the rite, either the homo sapien type or the Dominant Official Union would have as much pomp and ceremony as possible so that no one would use that to kill one or both of the couple. Knowing that the children born would be Progenies with the Dominant DNA no doubt cemented their decision.  
  
"We've decided to have the ceremony at the Church," said Tom, "It is the same faith that the villagers near where I grew up as a child believed."  
  
"But what about you having taken the place of that Tom Daniels, the FBI agent?" asked Sloan.  
  
"In the Chameleon program, we are careful to use common names. Lewis checked the name Tom Daniels, and found that the FBI agent the one I replaced, had a son, a Tom Daniels, Junior who disappeared as a child. We had two scenarios, one in which we killed the father, or two, I pretended to be his long lost son, and then discover that only our names were similar. We could not have a close relationship so Lewis had me practice the last case scenario until I got it perfect. However, since he was on an outside case, I did not have to use either."  
  
"Enrique says that since Carl and Walter are old friends, he can vouch for us. Therefore there'll be no trouble in getting the marriage legitimized."  
  
"That's what we have to do. Since the Sedonas, your real parents belong to this particular Church, Paul has agreed to give Sloan away. I'm sorry, we tried to get in touch with your adoptive parents, but were unable to."  
  
"What about my sister?" asked Sloan.  
  
"We telegraphed her, but got no reply. However, I have some good news for you."  
  
"No more killing?"  
  
Tom looked serious. "That is impossible, but those school children in California. Because you helped rescue me, the Council has decided to alter the nano virus."  
  
"How?"  
  
"It appears that certain members of your society have a disease that causes a similar condition and since your doctors are working on a cure, a hopeless gesture, the medicine that may extend the lives of the children is directed to these."  
  
Sloan thought how hard it was for a Dominant to mention something that to them was foreign. "Could you not remove the nano virus and let the children live?"  
  
The Dominant Medicals put counter nano virus's in the children's bloodstream, not the same amount in each, but according to the family history. In time, twenty to fifty years depending, the children's deaths would be attributed to heart disease, diabetes, cancer, or accident. No one would think something amiss. "But there is one catch."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Since they will survive into adulthood, the virus can be transferred to their offspring unless..."  
  
"Unless what?"  
  
"They mate with Dominants."  
  
Sloan felt a chill coming even though it was one hundred degrees in the shade.  
  
10/1/2003 


	30. PLANS CHAPTER THIRTY

CHAPTER THIRTY  
  
It was dark when Lynch returned from his haunts. He cursed the Council for banning him and his 'brothers' from the village. Of course, they allowed Randall to return because he was a true Dominant and not a duplicate or clone like him, but Randall had created another clone which he kept in reserve, and not just one, but two.  
  
There was a true sibling with the Lynch reddish hair, but his eyes were hazel and his skin a bit lighter. Besides, he was an inch shorter. Lynch did not consider him a true brother. Besides, he was in the Infiltrator program, a section of the Chameleon program in which one went into politics. Right now he was in Montana campaigning for testing against artificial hormones in cattle so Randall did not have to worry that Grant would return.  
  
It was the Medicals' fault. They decided that he was unstable. Now they were developing a test to see if his reaction time was different. So it came out four minutes and fifty nine seconds, a second out so what? Also, his hair started to show a little gray. So what? He was stronger and faster than any human and he was tracking her now.  
  
He did not need binoculars or a road map to see the person he was after. She was going in that building, along with several other humans. He could recognize her anywhere, the wavy auburn hair, the slim figure. It was Sloan Parker, all right. .The building was a Church, the same type that dominated small Mexican villages. Lynch wondered about this. What would they be doing at a Church.  
  
Now the Dominants had the Official Union equivalent to the human religious marriage rites. The Council had arranged for certain Chameleons to enter the Seminaries of the major Christian religions so that they could perform the Union according to the Marriage service preferred by humans.. It was necessary so they could live together without starting a major species war.  
  
Now it was not as if the Dominants did not have the equivalent before they decided to hide among the humans. The Dominant Official Union went something like this.  
  
"The male Ben Varden (or what ever surname his first Dominant ancestor made up) will be united with Ellen Sands. Their true parents, John and Carol Varden, and Grant and Donna Sands give their approval to the match."  
  
At this the members of the Council would come one by one and give an announcement depending on their station. For instance, a Mentor would say, "May you teach your offspring well" and the Executioner would say, "May you kill those who oppose you." and an Advocate would say, "May you do what is right in the book of the Dominants." Each would give a symbol of his office, a Mentor, a book, the Executioner, a knife, an Advocate, a sword. The Dominant Advocates used a sword instead of a gavel, showing that justice could be swift and permanent.  
  
Then the Sacred Official would ask each, "Do you truly wish to share the bed of your mate" or "Do you truly wish to bear more of our species (or) dominants to increase our kind."  
  
After the young male and female gave their consent which was "We do. We will rule in the kingdom of man!" they were considered as mated. After that, the Sacred Official announced, "They are now Ben and Ellen Sansvarden" and drank the sacred chamomile tea mixed with wine.  
  
The Dominant reception did not have the throwing of the bouquet (that was added later when they mixed with the humans) and certainly not the garter throwing for the groom (they never added that one later.) Instead since most unions were arranged, the parents of the male of the couple hid a revolver in the sand outside, the parents of the female hid a knife, and let everyone who had a potential son or daughter under the age of eight look for them. It was said that the children of the two who found them were the first to be united. Of course, only the men were allowed to search.  
  
During the reception, unlike the human type which people had gifts already prepared, the Dominants brought what was considered valuable. The first item was that black bed, and clothes, several machines, weapons, a car or truck depending on the rank of the married children, and enough material to start their own house once their first set was born. On few occasions, they received a human captive along with the knife "to kill it" or "you would prefer to break its neck." On rare occasions, the new couple let the captive live at which he or she became their slave, but this was rare indeed as most humans were needed for experiments or for work and to have one around would incur resentment. The ones who lived were often like that slave foreman, not afraid to die.  
  
As for the regular union, a representative of the Advocates, and not a very respectable one at that, would say, "So Timothy Martin and Lara Gunn, you wish to share the bed of your partner and you wish to bear more of our species to increase our kind" Just say, 'We do, we will rule in the kingdom of man'' and it's done." There was no sacred chamomile tea mixed with wine and no relatives or friends giving them trucks, black beds, etc and since the black bed was expensive to make without the machines used by the Dominants, you passed with a slab of rock painted black and the symbols painted on in another color until you made enough or kill enough humans to get the silver or gold to pay for a real one.  
  
The Advocate representative did write the new name on a metal plate, you might wind up as Timothy Gumarty or Lara Gunmertz, or something like that. And you had to convince your parents that you were indeed true mates. Usually the only time they believed you was when the same minor Advocate came and said, :"Ah you're the two I united. Told your true parents yet?"  
  
Even the Official Joining where the Favorite received a chain around his or her neck and real wine seemed better than this. At least, she or he was considered a valuable piece of property or possession, not like Lynch. .  
.  
  
For the first decade or so, since the Dominants developed, the Official Union was only for the Chameleons (which included the Chosen and the Council) while everyone else just took a mate. But as time went on and the Council noticed that they mated for life, it was prudent to apply it to all Dominants, that is those of the higher classes. The lower classes, that is, those who were the ordinary soldiers and the workers had the Union. No Sacred Official for them, it was just the rush through shortened version. Any ceremony was at the discretion of the participants and Dominants loved ceremony.  
  
Lynch's father had gone through the Union and Lynch resented being just a soldier. However, Tom Daniels' parents were of the Dominant elite, and as such could afford to go through the Official Union and since this Sloan was the daughter of Paul Sedona and his concubine, Lupe, she was, although damaged, was a token Dominant and their issue would be Dominants.  
  
So, wondered Lynch, why go through the Roman Catholic rite, when Daniels could go to the Council and arrange for the Sacred Ceremony? Why disgrace the Council and the New Species by such an affront?  
  
Tom had turned traitor. If he got to the Council, they would stop this and bring the Chosen back in the fold.  
  
Now Lynch had no intention of this happening. He would have to phrase his words in such a way so that the Council would execute Tom and chose another, perhaps someone who was a Clone, someone whose father was a soldier, a pure Dominant untainted by human stench. Like me, thought Lynch.  
  
He smiled, imagining the Council giving him the honor of being the Chosen. Perhaps his first act would be to execute Attwood and his group, and then their families. After that, he would do what they had intended first, wipe out any human on the planet. There would be no need of putting the blame on those humans who killed someone because she happened to pay others to mate with her, nor on those who killed because they reminded him of a false female. Soon only they the New Species would remain. All human weakness would disappear as the dust.  
  
However, he needed allies, those who refused cooperation among the humans. Roderick would have been his first base, but the Chief of the Executioners was too busy also being the Chief of Propaganda, a position designated to a survivor couple of the Lost Ships—if there were any survivors besides the Advocate or rather a descendant of a survivor. Besides the Council had rejected him and now with the Progenies, they felt no need to exterminate all the humans.  
  
He crept a little closer, recognizing some members of the Council, including Roderick enter the church. Ah a massacre, once they close the door, thought Lynch, but he saw no nod between them, no signal that only a Dominant or Dominant Clone could catch. They're going to allow this to happen! Our whole species have been betrayed!  
  
It was then he spotted a young boy about eight or nine, rather short in stature, but with a cold look to his eyes. Lynch could see the hatred the boy had towards Tom Daniels and his future mate and how the Dominant guards kept an eye on him. The clone recognized the boy, one of the Progenies, offspring of Dominants and humans, able to cloud the minds of both. Now all he needed was to approach Kevin, but he would have to wait his time and he had plenty of that.  
  
10/8/2003 


	31. PLANS CHAPTER THIRTYONE

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE  
  
Unaware that Lynch was lurking outside, Tom along with Ed as his best man, Vito Gerona, and Attwood waited until the bridesmaids led by two of the Gerona grandchildren, walked down the aisle. How they could get so much done in so short of time would have been miraculous except that they were Dominants.  
  
Paul's son, John, having been given leave by the Terra Firma Film Company, was the photographer and his sister, Anna, the famous Mexican B Movie actress would do a solo.  
  
Ray declined to be on the platform and his wife also to be matron of honor. Mrs. Sedona took over that position. Besides, she had done most of the sewing, and did most of the preparations for the reception that would follow and no one argued with Mrs. Sedona. Any way Ray helped in checking out for any bugs, bombs, or other incendiary devices that would destroy the Church and everyone in it. So far, he had found two rifles hidden in the sanctuary and the local officers were questioning the man who had no idea how they got there. The detective informed them about the Dominant ability to mask their presence. The MPs said they would patrol the area. Still the same, Ray kept an eye on the stained glass windows expecting someone to drop in ala Invasion USA to finish off the Chosen and his bride.  
  
The organist played, 'The Wedding March" and Sloan in a long bridal gown with a veil (the Dominants did not accept her first choice, a short white dress. As it was, they were long on ceremony) accompanied by her birth father walked down the aisle.  
  
The priest asked "if there is any reason why these two should not be joined together...", but with the Dominants having guards outside, no one could, unless Alana could persuade them to let her in and so the wedding went on as planned. Not only were the 1.6rs making sure no one would come with guns blazing and kill everyone in the church, but the cousin had made sure that none of those implicated in the former thefts would make a show there.  
  
Anyway, most of them were awaiting court martial or trial by the civil authorities so no one inside had anything to fear.  
  
"Now marriage is..."  
  
It was no surprise to Attwood's group that the Dominants knew all about what the priest said, the sacraments, and all that went through, knew when a particular hymn would be, when the priest would give the blessing, and when they would exchange rings. They had seen the same things going on in the Mexican villages before they moved in to massacre or drive off the population. And Attwood knew that if it were not for the success of the Dominant Progeny program, Tom and Sloan would be still hiding and Ed would still be trying to turn Tom into a human.  
  
Anna Sedona now sang, "For All We Know." She was quite good, a mezzo soprano. This surprised the humans who figured with their low emotional level, Dominants would discourage expressing their happiness in that way, but she was a Progeny,  
  
Ray heard from the Technical sergeant next to him that "they should have left us finish Saddam off once and for all," and "it's a shame those scum didn't try to rob the Air force. If they did, we'd take care of them."  
  
Tom and Sloan exchanged rings. . John Sedona whispered to Ed, after hearing of his failure with the Neogeneis formula, that someone in the New England had succeeded, but this organization did not do things legally and it had a scroll reputed to belong to a group that broke off from the Templer Knights, a group based on an Island off the east coast of Scotland.  
  
"What's this organization?"  
  
"I have no idea. All I know is that it has something to do with the Advocate. The nearest equivalent would be your Attorney General. And it might do be something about the information you have in your possession."  
  
"What information."  
  
"Ssh." John put his hand  
  
"And now I pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride."  
  
After that, they had the reception, courtesy of the Geronas who could afford it and who having masqueraded as humans for so long, did not fear the government going after them. They decided to hold it in their house rather than hiring a hall for the occasion. Of course, Tom had his suspicions about so many military types but since Enrique was in the Naval reserves and since he would be going east in a few days, it would only be natural for some of his friends to show up.  
  
"I hope there's not a rivalry between the Air force and Navy," he said.  
  
"There is, but they've decided to keep the nags about what football team is the best to a minimum," said Ed.  
  
"How's the new genetic drug coming along?"  
  
"I'm having my doubt. That photographer told me about some cabal in New England that originated in some land that once belonged to an offshoot of a monastic order—at least, that's what it sounded like to me. He actually said they invented the same drug and actually used it."  
  
"On humans? It would not work If there were Dominants there, it would, but Lewis never told me anything about that unless..."  
  
"Unless what?"  
  
"There's a legend about our ancestors, the humans. You know that we originated in Oaxaca, but since none of us have any relation to the native population, our ancestors must have originated in Europe."  
  
"That's what I suspect," said Ed, "because your area was the only ones that became Dominants. It could be that your particular group, but it could not be inbreeding because then you would deteriorate instead of increasing in intelligence and mental powers."  
  
"We do have strict laws about who to mate with and it was only recently that we would allow some of our human captives to survive. The start of the Progeny program."  
  
"Kevin."  
  
"We would have kept that matter to ourselves to see if the products were fertile. The human females so chosen would have been well cared for and given a place of honor. There would have been no sharing."  
  
Ed did not comment on this.  
  
At this, Attwood called for a toast. "To the bride and groom! May their decision improve our relationships!"  
  
"To the bride and groom!" said Anna. "May they be as happy as I was when I was wed!" That man next to her must have been her husband.  
  
Everyone raised their glasses.  
  
"To Tom and Sloan! May their honeymoon last forever!" This was from Mrs. Sedona. "Even when the kids come!"  
  
A Dominant called Gregory repeated the toast. John, between shoots, said he was the head of the Cooperation Program and it was only natural.  
  
This time, everyone took another drink. No one felt any ill effects.  
  
Then Paul stood up, raised his glass. "To the Lost Ships!"  
  
Ed then remembered that DVD and motioned to Attwood. If he seconded the toast, the Dominants would know that they succeeded in piercing together Carmichael's information. All were looking at him.  
  
He raised his glass. "To the Lost Ships and may who caused the ships to crash meet swift justice!"  
  
Everyone in the house raised their glasses. "To the Lost Ships!"  
  
The throwing of the corsage and the ceremonial hat (the Dominants used this instead of the garter) seemed an anticlimax after the last toast.  
  
10/15/2003 


	32. PLANS CHAPTER THIRTYTWO

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO  
  
Their papers signed, and legally married in a Church, Tom and Sloan entered Vera Cruz just as the day of the dead was beginning. Now this had been planned as part of an experiment to see if dominants could be brought into human society. If they succeeded, the dominants would have no reason to wipe out those they considered lesser, because they would have the same benefits as the rest of mankind.  
  
Sloan found that, even though Tom spent his short childhood in Mexico, he knew little if anything of the traditional Spanish holidays. He watched with wonder at the festivities, recognizing little of the skull ornaments; the remnants of an ancient Aztec tradition now merged into Roman Catholicism.  
  
"So," she said, "you were kept from learning of this Mexican holiday?" she asked.  
  
"It was thought best for my training."  
  
"Señor, señora, por favor." A woman in a red shawl held out some rosquete.  
  
"¿Cúantos?" asked Sloan.  
  
They agreed on a price. It was very reasonable The couple walked off towards an outdoor café where a mariachi band was playing.  
  
"I guess you people never had a proper honeymoon," said Sloan.  
  
"Our marriages were arranged to get the best union as possible" Tom said, looking at the bouquets of zenpasuchitl that seemed to sprawl from the hanging baskets especially put on the lamp posts for this occasion. "After the union, we go alone together. It's known as the Companionship. Since our parent Dominants arranged our matings, we have to learn to be united with each other. That is a pretty flower."  
  
"Cempasuichil. That's the other name for it."  
  
"That does not sound Spanish."  
  
"Well actually the two main cultures before the Spanish conquest was the Aztecs and the Toltecs. Your ancestors are probably Spanish —in spite of your English name. Most likely you had no native blood in you, which is why the mutation or reversal mutation according to Walter's friend, Roger Carmichael stated." Sloan kissed him, well rather they both kissed at the same time. To her it was rather disconcerting, him knowing when she wanted to 'show affection' and both of their lips joining at the correct time. "Oh you're supposed to carry me over the threshold. It's a human marriage custom."  
  
"We have a similar one. The first night of the Companionship we also drink some wine mixed with tea." He put her on the bed, and then went to the small kitchen where he came out with two cups shaped like long pipes in which he put a strange liquid.  
  
"These look like smokestacks from a ship. Perhaps it is a memory of your ancestors coming to Oaxaca." She reached for him.  
  
However Tom did not want to make love just yet because he had this look that had nothing to do with affection, but something deep inside. Sloan now could understand certain signs when a Dominant was worried, afraid, angry—signs indistinguishable from others, but which Tom taught her. The New Species live on a more level plain than us, their emotions not reaching our highs except in the case of anger, a natural release for a violent species and Tom's reaction mimicked that of guilt. .  
  
Feeling rather uneasy, Tom tried to make intelligent conversation. "I fail to see how Walter's friend said a reverse mutation. Do you mean that your ancestors may have been like us?"  
  
"Two or four thousand years ago. According to the history records, there were wizards who could do things and not just pretence." She paused. "It makes a wrinkle on the theory of evolution. Maybe what I believed all these years was wrong. Maybe all those destruction we heard about, the floods, the earthquakes, the disasters in Greek and Norse mythology were to wipe out certain people who were dominants.  
  
"And," said Tom; "those who are innocent suffer. I will make sure that this does not happen again. I pledge my life to making our two cultures live in cooperation with each other."  
  
Sloan noticed something in his expression, a feeling of sadness or regret. What was it? "Tom, when I mentioned Roger Carmichael, I got the idea that you were keeping something from me."  
  
"You realize, Sloan, that when Walter's old boss tortured and drugged me, she released some of the hypnotic suggestions that Lewis put on me and I'm recalling more events from my past, bits of my childhood before my training. I suppose this would have come out gradually."  
  
"Do you mean that Lewis knows much of his childhood now? It does happen to older men and women, more than recent events."  
  
"Not like yours. We know the recent events clearly as our minds are higher than yours are. We don't want any sympathy with our victims so the Mentors hide any memory that might allow that to happen such as a mother with her child. When we have done a certain number of kills, then the memories return, but then we associate them with our own species. I believe the torture might have done it."  
  
"How?"  
  
"I survived by imagining it happening to someone else, imagining them going through the pain, and dying. It had the same effect as if I actually put burning wires against their skin and that broke the hypnotic suggestion. The drugs just relaxed my brain, but the pain did the rest. I remember that Roderick and Lewis having a conversation. I was about four at the time. They talked about their founders. I did not know what they meant, but I suppose it was our human ancestors. I'd hate if someone brings them up, the murders. It would no doubt kill any sort of coming together of both our kind."  
  
It was going to be a long struggle. Sloan knew what the answer was and yet she had to ask the question. "So are they still alive?"  
  
"No. Lewis was born at the end of your Second World War. He's one of the oldest as is Roderick. When he was around twelve years old, they killed their ancestors. One was Alfred Carmichael. He used to work for an organization, your Great Britain MI-5. Roderick shot him.  
  
Sloan almost paled in horror and yet she could see that had Tom not spied on the two Councilors, she would never know and yet she suspected that something happened, but not that soon. She knew they would have killed their parents, but possibly when they were about twenty and it would have been a battle, not someone sneaking behind them.  
  
Something must have triggered it and after the honeymoon, she would find out from Roderick what it was or from Paul since he probably helped in the massacre. "It could have been something one of them said, perhaps a clue."  
  
"Do you mean an unforgivable insult?" asked Tom. "We have certain customs that cannot be brooked. For instance, when we mate, we show affection together. The male holds the female's head just so." He put his hand against her neck, cradling it softly. "And then he strokes her face just so." His palm caressed her check and with his other hand, he unbuttoned her blouse, removed her brassiere and then pulled down her skirt, cradling her flesh in his strong arms.  
  
Sloan did not have to remove his slacks. He wriggled out of them, leaving the shirt, slacks, socks, and briefs at the foot of the bed. Love-making was wonderful, he was gentle, and yet she felt he was being kind just for her. She signaled to him that she was not unbreakable and then the love- making increased to a fever pitch, the bed rocking, her moving on top of him, he moving on top of her, the perspiration, the sweat, the sheets falling to the floor as they consummated their love. And then exhausted, they fell asleep in each other's arms. 


	33. PLANS CHAPTER THIRTYTHREE

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE  
  
About twenty miles inside Area 51 was a secret location more secret than the base, a place of rocks and hills, desert sands, and lizard; a place where outlaws once roamed. It was a perfect location for the test. Ed knew if the test succeeded, the two species could survive together, the humans using their emotions, and the Dominants able to search out emotions in others. Attwood would know how to utilize both methods. The Dominants could detect fear even in Stone Cold killers, while Humans could use seduction. And risk getting VD or the cold shoulder from a girl friend just to find out what Madame Chu was hiding!  
  
They had survival training on this land and the small cinders testified to some Air Force airman learning how to make it in a desert location. You had to dig for water and the small scrubs were practically lacking in nourishment.  
  
Attwood and Tate, accompanied by Roderick and Paul drove out there, looking the area over and decided that it would be the perfect place to do their tests. With a generator in the van, they could take readings and prepare for what Roderick and Paul had up their sleeve.  
  
Paul seemed nice enough, but he was still a Dominant. Roderick appeared the type that would smile while he cut out your heart with his fingernails, not a very nice man unless that term applied to Dominant males.  
  
For the tests, they needed homo sapiens, Dominants, and Progenies. They also needed a brain wave indicator that measured reactions to emotions and they had to eliminate the similar patterns of each. For instance, anger was common to all. The Dominants and the Progenies could sense emotions.  
  
Now that did not mean, as was supposed by those who believed in people who could take a brooch and determine that "Harold's in trouble. A car's run him over and he's at Mercy Hospital," or wake up in the middle of the night, screaming, "My brother's dead! I know it we have this bond." It was just that Dominants bypassed the short term memory processing information at a much higher speed than even Einstein would be able to accomplish. .  
  
And although people would say they had a psychic connection between them; that was untrue. When one could hear a whisper or someone talking about two hundred years away, when one could notice the similarity between himself and someone he had not seen since birth, and could immediately notice that this stranger's face was a combination of his own true parents, the color of the eyes, the shape of the nose, the blending of two complexion, etc.; it was only natural to mistake a fast mental process as mental telepathy.  
  
The only unexplainable thing was that five minute sense. However, Ed figured that the Dominants had a higher visual memory than homo sapiens. Whereas a human would have a feeling that an angry man carrying a gun was in the neighborhood and hiding his way, the Dominant would actually see a representation of the actual man. No one knew when this occurred, but Dominant elders emphasized the difference between the sense before and the real thing. Ed supposed that Dominant toddlers must have had a hard time, not only having to learn reality from imagination, but also if the one approaching was the real thing and not the preceding image.  
  
Tom told him that the preceding figures looked like those representatives of ghostlike apparitions at which Ed figured perhaps people who saw ghosts did not really see ghosts, but had this characteristic in common with Dominants. Ed assumed Tom knew about charlatans, Ojai boards, and other devices used to fool the unwary.  
  
The Dominants and Progenies had an extra sense of smell, like that of animals rather than humans. Unlike animals, they had reasoning and thinking ability, and could sense the correct course. They surpassed humans at every term, except for emotions, and they could fake those. They were faster, stronger, matured earlier, and yet once they reached their thirties, they stayed at that level at a longer period than humans. They probably would die at a later age and usually "with their natural forces unabated." . This meant that the series of tests appeared to be doomed from the start. How could they test a species with all this ability?  
  
A Medical or Dominant doctor set up the machines while the others watched. "This will determine the brain pattern and what each part controls. We have an excessive amount of energy. By the way, Vito will have to take further training to reach our status, a matter of a few days."  
  
"Do you place it on the head?" asked Ed.  
  
"No. Just point this at the individual and it will record. We have advanced more than your kind."  
  
"Is that all?"  
  
"We have given the humans and us a set of various instructions, some combining our species's abilities, some common to homo sapiens, some to ourselves. The Progenies will have no trouble with the last. Now let the test begin."  
  
The three groups set out, using cars, trucks, and foot to get to their destinations.  
  
"I thought it was to be done here," said Attwood.  
  
"Do you want me to drive or shall you?" asked Roderick, pulling the tarpaulin off a small jet airplane. Attwood had never noticed it, so intense was he in the examination.  
  
"I'll drive."  
  
They waited until Tom and Sloan got in the passenger seats and the plane ascended into the sky.  
  
"We can sense things for five minutes ahead of time," said Tom, "so we need other methods of determining the results."  
  
Roderick then explained. "Each man has been given an object, much like your remote control, with various colors indicating various emotions spotted or dangerous situations. Since some of your species cannot detect colors, we also indented numbers in the codes. That machine between us will react when a certain color is pressed."  
  
Attwood glanced over. "But how do you know who pressed what? I see only one machine."  
  
"We also have a certain sound. They cannot hear it, but when, for instance, Vito presses the red section when he sees someone in quicksand and they're afraid we will hear a sharp beep. If Lawrence, supposing there be a Lawrence there, a Progeny sees the same figure, his red section will give a whistle."  
  
Something made Attwood's blood almost curdle. "Do you mean you put someone in quicksand and others in danger?"  
  
Roderick smiled. "As you can see, we do need 'volunteers'. Oh and there are happy events as well. There is a birth, a great occasion. The parents would be content. Any way in the first case, since no one knows who we put in danger, they had better win the examination or that person dies."  
  
The yellow button sounded a squeal. "Who's that?" asked Walter.  
  
"Yellow indicates Happiness., Red indicates danger, blue indicates sorrow. We simplified things for your species."  
  
"What about anger?"  
  
"Black."  
  
"But the main color of the machine and those indicators are black."  
  
"Precisely. All our species and part species have anger in common. It's only right that we paint it that color."  
  
When they landed back in the area, and awaited the others, they heard the faint siren of an ambulance sent to pick up the 'volunteers' who no doubt had no idea why they were stranded in a desert, sunk in quicksand, or buried in a mine. Nor did the happy couples wonder who sent them that money, or paid that mortgage, or the ones with tears in their eyes knew who had killed their child, or caused the accident that robbed them of their father. Roderick was not going to tell.  
  
Attwood was glad the tests were over and heard the results. The homo sapiens were tops in giving sympathy, but the Progenies and Dominants beat them in sensing the emotions. The Progenies, however, although their DNA matched the true Dominants, could show a little emotion, or feelings to someone's plight. It was not, however, enough to get them to help that person.  
  
In the group, however, was some the Dominants could not place.  
  
One of the Progenies motioned to a group of men and women who came in unannounced, as if from the hills. "They're damaged," he said and explained his reasons. They were fast like Dominants, yet they could not sense colors or emotions, and when the bullets flew, they knew enough to duck. If they were homo sapiens, the bullets would kill them. "I let them try some of the tests. They helped pull that man from the quicksand and saved Rick from the crusher as if they needed to. I could see that the crusher would never re..."  
  
Rick was listening while piling some of the equipment back on the truck. They knew he could not hear them, him being a mere human, but they did not want him to know that so the Progeny kept silent and Paul went over to Roderick, relating the Progeny's information.  
  
"We don't know whether they're Dominants or homo sapiens. They seem to be too cooperative," said Paul.  
  
"Where did you get them?"  
  
"They said that they came from the Eastern seaboard. They've been encircling cars, walking, stealing on buses as if on the Diaspora. The accent is not of ours, more like the Advocate."  
  
Roderick's eyes widened in understanding. "The Lost Ships! Someone has altered their DNA. We want no damaged ones here."  
  
But Paul ignored him, pushing the newcomers towards a large rock, and took something out from his pocket. He waved it around, pretending not to notice Ed approach. When the Doctor was almost on top of him, Paul said, "These are of our Species but they act as if they are not and yet not of yours. Maybe you can get a sample and find out. They're willing to cooperate."  
  
Ed found it strange, but Paul was correct. These men and women were almost too eager to help and their action reminded Ed of Kelly when he first found her. She had the same look.  
  
"I'll need a sample of the Neogeneis formula. I think I still have some left." He went to his van, and took out a small metal container. "There isn't much left. This is all I can spare." He put it on a slide. "And now I'm going to take a sample from each of these men and women and see if there is any similarity. If not, it could be that their parents were almost starved but not far enough to change them to us."  
  
By now, Roderick came over and Ed explained. "When I worked on my Neogeneis formula, it was because I assumed both species could not coexist and it would be better than us killing you, or you killing us. Now with the success of the tests, it seems we all need each other. So I'm going to see whether they had an equivalent to the Neogeneis formula and if it was the reason why the only survivor you knew was the Advocate."  
  
An hour later, Ed had the results and it was not good. "These are not natural Progenies and their parents were not half starved and given nourishment near the end of pregnancies. The drug in their system is a variant of the Neogeneis formula, an improvement in that it does not break down as readily and by the look of it, it has been replaced periodically."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
He pointed to one man's upper arm. "That's a vaccination shot. It has traces of the small pox but also a bit of the variant. It's been done recently. And that woman over there who was eating a chocolate bar. I like Almond Joy so I usually have some with me. I tried hers, and gave some to one of your men. He became quite placid, so I took a sample. It also contains the variant."  
  
"So someone inserted Neogeneis in their food and medicine without them knowing it. I will turn them over to the Medicals and when the drug escapes their system, I will welcome them into the Community as Free Dominants."  
  
"You can't do that," said Paul, showing something on his indicator. "All of them have something inserted in their skull, the area between the motor and the upper intelligence, something akin to what humans use on their animals." He handed Roderick a piece of paper. "I questioned him where he came from or where they had been. This is the location, someplace in Delaware. The town's not on the map, but it's known as Blue Cove. According to legend, it's near the coast where the Lost Ships were supposed to go down and they say that an organization has been chasing them."  
  
Grabbing the paper, Roderick stormed away. For five minutes, he ran through the hills and at last he returned. He walked over to one of the Dominants, whispered in his ear, and waited until the other man got in his car and left. After that, he went to another Dominant, spoke to him a bit, and gave him some money, and a suitcase packed with clothes. After that, he called Shane over. "Shane, take Neil to the bus station. Be sure to drop him off so he is undetected and then return to our headquarters in Los Angeles until further instructions."  
  
"What's this about, sir?"  
  
"You are from one of the finest groups. Of course, you know the legend and at last, we will find out what is true or not. Neil, you are to go to this Blue Cove, take a job as a postal inspector. James will be entering that large building as a psychiatrist. He will give you the information, but you are not to go to us." He handed him a device. "You will contact someone in the FBI, preferably a female. As a Progeny, you can sense who would be most proficient"  
  
Ed looked aghast. "Do you mean these are from the Lost Ship?"  
  
"Yes," said Roderick, "but we must keep silent. It appears that there were others, a small group more prominent of which one was more important. Obviously, these were not watched. Perhaps a little subtleness on their part, keeping their intelligence under reported."  
  
11/5/2003 .. . 


	34. PLANS CHAPTER THIRTYFOUR

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR  
  
"You do know that you are not allowed to go," said the older Dominant to the younger one besides him.  
  
"And why not? Did I not prove myself by killing that human?" asked Kevin.  
  
"And that monkey, and presenting it to the Chosen. Perhaps you misunderstood the choice of obedience. The Chosen would want a more appropriate gift."  
  
"Like the head of that human? Attwood and that of the Chosen's pet? Perhaps if I had her bred, Carver."  
  
Carver ran his hands along the barrel of his revolver. He chafed at babysitting this Progeny. He should have been at the test, but the Council only allowed a select few to go and he was not one of them. It seemed that all he was doing was guarding one Progeny or another. The sun was getting hot. Dominants could stand the heat, but preferred a milder climate as they did not like wearing shorts and tee shirts. It was too common.  
  
A lizard sped across the road, but he just ignored it as he also ignored the rattlesnake rustling in the bushes. He did not want to answer this Progeny, but knowing the humans had raised him, he thought it best. "The gift to the Chosen must be presented to him alone. You must make certain that he has no human with him but not by elimination. He may be using them to gain a position of trust among their leaders. When he gives the order for their death, it will not be by your hands nor by mine and only by the approval of the Council."  
  
"Roderick?"  
  
"Roderick has the final decision and if the Council says no, even if he were to want it, he cannot. The Council is wise. Now for the gift. You must hunt it yourself and, the gift must be living, intelligent, a human. When you present it to the Chosen, you must wait. The decision to kill it, or to experiment on it, or to let it live but in bondage, is the Chosen's decision not yours"  
  
"Rick insulted me."  
  
"That is Pamela's favorite. It is her's to punish, beside he is like you, wild, the product of the human gang system as your human mother spoiled you."  
  
Kevin smiled. He knew quite well that he had terrorized both his mother and his stepfather, punching them, goading them, hoping that one of them would make the mistake so he could kill them. He hated them for putting him in that school, rather than with the other humans so he could have a chance to hunt and kill them. He hated the way the other Dominants raised children like him, how they retaliated blow for blow. He also hated the way that Council member Sedona treated his youngest children and he even encouraged his Favorite to discipline them. When one of the boys started punching his mother, she punched him back. And the father came and told the boy that it was time for him to use a weapon and took him out into the yard to shoot at birds.  
  
They also attended a regular private school, one where the other children did not have to write in large letters because they did not have the brains to spell. One where the other children dissected animals, learned other languages, or wrote essays on the reason why Las Vegas depended so much on gambling for its revenue, none of that why I love my dog for them!  
  
"Council member Sedona's youngest children attend a human school. Why does he permit it?"  
  
"The Private school in which Paul sends his children have what the humans call an accelerated program. They study with humans more than twice their age. In a year, they will go to what the humans call a University and at the age of twelve, they will be ready to be welcomed into the adult of the New Species."  
  
"And I went through a dummy school, when I could be on the same level as I?" Kevin fumed. He wanted to find Sedona's children and break their necks.  
  
When he was on the bus with the other children, he learned how their human parents had treated them when challenged to a fight. One boy actually said the father took a knife and told him to pretend that I was an enemy soldier. The boy gloried in being able to almost dispatch the man who was not his true father, but spared him because of the human's bravery. "I show concern that your human parents were weak and that your human mother did not tell you your origins. My human father said that perhaps my true father was dead. Of course I know better, but it was Sandy's mistaken belief."  
  
"Did you kill him?"  
  
"When we take over, I will seek out my human father. The female who bore me is of no consequence. I will give him to the Council. He will work for us. The human will have no choice."  
  
"He will hate you," had said another child.  
  
"I am letting him live."  
  
Before they arrived at their destination, the Dominant training Centre, they had to go through a military base. The adult Dominant told them to pretend they were on a tour, learning about air force life. Kevin did not expect a young man in a flier uniform to approach one of them. The boy gave the appropriate answer to which the young man called him his youngest brother and said something about him making general. There were too many around to dispatch of the flier. The adult Dominant talked with the flier for some time and left. When Kevin asked why the flier was not dead, the adult Dominant said, "Some humans are useful. He believes his brother is his true brother and encourages him to be like him. Those airplanes the humans use are so primitive, with our knowledge we can use them to travel the stars and we must do so to make them unaware."  
  
Some of the Dominants even polluted themselves by mating permanently with human women, going through their rites. Some Dominants when masquerading as rapists and killers even kept their victims alive. That maddened Kevin, even though the rule was if a human begged for her life, the Dominants might grant her that favor as long as she worked for them. They did not say what type of work they meant.  
  
"Are all like me here?" he asked the guard.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
Kevin gave his best smile. "What I mean is that have all the Progenies returned?"  
  
"No. There are some amongst the humans. Some humans accept us, believe it or not, although they mistake our superior brain power for something mystical." He sneered. "You realize that our cortex functions at a higher level and rate of speed than theirs. When you were with your human parents, you knew before they did."  
  
"We always do."  
  
"There are some humans who do not fear our ability. That friend who talked to the airman had to be lured to the bus. However, if he were to remain as he was, his half brother would discover the difference. Wait a few years, and he will return after, ah, attending an accelerated program for gifted children."  
  
"So but what of the ones still remaining. Where are they?" His senses picked up a truck driving down the road and wondered if he could scramble his guard's brain and that of the driver who even five minutes away seemed quite familiar. Of course, he had seen him near the Church.  
  
Kevin concentrated, using his voice to mesmerize and his eyes evoked a hypnotic stance in the older Dominant, making him lower his guard. He then suggested, ever so softly, that he cross the road and see if there were an airplane overhead, perhaps humans who were looking for them. He waited for the truck to strike. It did. .  
  
The taller man with the shoulder length hair got out the truck and went over to the body, now realizing that he hit someone.  
  
"Could you take me with you?" asked Kevin.  
  
"Why yes. I've been looking for you. What about him?" asked Lynch.  
  
Kevin smiled. "Can you let me drive for a while?" Both boy and man shared a hidden message, an understanding between them. The boy took the steering wheel, put the truck into reverse and ran over the unconscious older Dominant. He then moved the truck forward, and then back into reverse.  
  
"They'll miss him. Have they given you a destructor yet?"  
  
"I took this out of his pocket." Kevin opened the window on the driver's side and aimed it at the body. A few seconds later, there was nothing left.  
  
"Now where do you want to go?"  
  
"Where are John Sedona's children? The youngest?"  
  
"He bought a house about ten miles from here. Are you planning what I believe you are?"  
  
Kevin sneered. "Lynch, they are too cosy with the human filth and such filth should be washed away."  
  
.  
  
.  
  
. 


	35. PLANS CHAPTER THIRTYFIVE

CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE  
  
John Sedona now lived in a large three story house with a separate garage that he had built himself. Normally he would have just left the house as it was, with a dirt road leading up to it, plus the same unkempt fence, but it had to look like he at least was attempting a few repairs. So during the breaks from the movie, he painted one room, fixed the plumbing, and did various repairs. Being a Dominant, he did not need help. Being a Chameleon, he would sometimes drive up dressed as a plumber, carpenter, or whatever, along with the appropriate vehicle so that anyone would not recognize it was the same man.  
  
Today, however, he was at the shoot of the Terra Firma Movie Company, having graduated from assistant still photographer to assistant movie photographer and he would not be back until nightfall.  
  
The house was isolated for Dominants were not in a position to let the humans know their numbers. The nearest neighbor was a good two miles away. The milkman (John in disguise again) had brought the milk and butter the day before for the occupants were safe from unwanted intruders, at least, for a couple of days. The freezer was full, the well had been looked at, and the satellite dish brought in whatever television and radio programs were necessary.  
  
Lupe sat on the swing, watching John's youngest children, while another Dominant watched her. Of course, for the latter, all this supervision was unnecessary. The control she wore around her neck was detectable from over one thousand miles, although Lupe would not know it. And the Dominants did not discourage the thought that they had extra sensory perception. Sure, some of them could sense things, but it was because their brains could hone on in human emotions, not because they knew exactly what someone was thinking at that particular moment. .  
  
John had older children, already with their mates, and they lived elsewhere. The middle children, that is those between the ages of two and seven were already at the Mental and Physical improvement Center, i.e., Private school or one set up by the Dominants and they would not be home until four o'clock. John could not afford the fee for the School, a Private School in California and now in Connecticut for Dominants and they would not waive the fees for him. His mother was a concubine. There was a strict policy that children of concubines had to pay the full amount since they were born free to begin with. Children of male slave consorts often had their fees waived, well because they were born slave and manumitted soon after at a great cost. If both your parents were free, you could have the fees waived because your father knew someone else's father, etc. In order to pay for whatever education their large family needed, John's mate, Susan was on assignment at a television studio, making certain to squelch any information about their species at the source. And although Paul Sedona was away on some assignment, they had confidence in Lupe's ability to control the youngsters.  
  
Concubines had the right to punish children under their charge with a stick, a beating or whatever. She was acting under the authority of Paul Sedona.  
  
Lupe had lived with the Dominants long enough to know when danger approached and it did in a red truck with the license plates half covered with dirt. Lupe's senses, although not as sharp as a Dominant, honed in on the fact that the truck was clean and the license plate letters and numbers were hidden in such as way as to not let one know of the particular State or Country. Usually criminals had two or three in the back seat or trunk, which they replaced so the police could not tell if they were from Texas, or Louisiana, or what not.  
  
The Dominants, those not masquerading as humans, made their own license plates, using the left over numbers and names, sometimes making Vanity Plates which could be misunderstood, such as "Alex Rules" or "Survivors" without telling others that Alex was a Dominant who infiltrated a town, and became its Mayor and the Survivors did not refer to someone who managed to live five years past his cancer diagnosis.  
  
Lupe looked towards her guard who ignored her, his eyes on the truck, his hands on his pistol. Although something was wrong, he appeared to hesitate. It was the same hesitation when her son often wanted something. She knew without seeing the truck drive in that there was a Progeny on board. Lupe shouted, hoping to break the spell.  
  
A boy alit from the truck. He was eight to ten years old, handsome with wavy auburn hair and innocent looking eyes. The man who followed had long reddish brown hair, wore a checkered shirt and beige trousers, and carried a rifle. His hand was on the trigger finger. The way the guard acted told Lupe both these were Dominants. Dominants had this inside recognition, which Lupe picked up through years of experience, a predatory manner comparable to wolves greeting each other in the pack.  
  
However, you could not compare Dominants to actual wolves in that all male Dominants mated with females and not just an Alpha male. However, compared to homo sapiens, the homo Dominants were more vicious, and stronger, just as the wolf was more vicious and stronger than the regular dog.  
  
And then the man and boy looked towards the children and that look was not the pleasant one of "more to improve our species." It was threatening. HHerH  
  
Lupe was in a predicament. Either the man or the boy was the Progeny, and she bet on the boy, but he took no notice of her because well, she was not in his line of sight. Paul had told her about Progenies you could get away from their influence by not letting them see your eyes and Lupe had kept her face down, pretending to pick up the various objects even Dominant children used for amusement.  
  
The guard still distracted by who was the Progeny, for both engaged him in conversation, the man asking about the hunt.  
  
Slowly Lupe got off her seat, and walked over to the children, gradually increasing her stride as she went.  
  
"They're going to kill you," she whispered in Spanish, and turned around, the little ones hiding behind her skirt.  
  
At that the young boy raised something in his hand, so fast that Lupe could not see it.  
  
"Vamos!" It was so soft that no homo sapien child could hear it, but these were Dominant children of three years old and under.  
  
They scattered, as Lupe tried to fight off the boy while the man took out his gun, trying to get a correct aim.  
  
"Leave them to me," said the boy.  
  
At that guard's spell was broken. He raised his weapon, firing at the man who took something out of his pocket and flash, the guard had disappeared.  
  
Lupe gasped. No one had used a disposer unless the man was dead. It was a crime that no Dominant could ever forgive. She felt a sharp pang in her side, and started to fall, but she willed herself to stay alive in time for help to arrive. With her dying breath, her eyes half closed, she grabbed the boy who kicked her back.  
  
The children, moved quickly from brush to the back of the house, to the cellar, from the porch to the hill outside, from the hill to the brush, keeping out of site, alert for the sound of the bad man's footsteps or the bad juvenile's steps.  
  
11/19/2003 


	36. PLANS CHAPTER THIRTYSIX

CHAPTER THIRTY SIX  
  
Miss Parker now went through the process of finding names for her offspring, since Jarod had no choice in naming his or her children. Charles, Emily, or Kyle would have put them in danger. Miss Parker did not want any of the children named after the Parkers  
  
so she asked Lewison for suggestions. He told her not to call them after symbols or characteristics. The New Species were not primitive, for all their predatory nature. In the future, when history recorded them, mankind must not think of them with painted  
  
bodies, kilts, and bones through their noses or even with long hair in braids and fringed garments, the men wearing swords. She decided on Adrian, Olivia, Jarvis, and Patricia, the last after a great aunt of Catherine Parker.  
  
A day after she gave birth, she and Jarod talked about having the children baptized.  
  
"I don't; remember mine," he said, "but considering I've changed, perhaps that fact kept me from killing more than I would have."  
  
"I doubt it," said Miss Parker, "but it would embarrass Raines and my brother's face to see that I'm not hiding the babies in the cellar."  
  
"Yes the cellar. If the Centre had a large HDTV down there, perhaps I would not have left."  
  
She knew he was joking. "It would have made you leave sooner."  
  
"Too bad the shows I've missed are in the old format. Now what one's do I have to watch now?"  
  
"Let's see. You've seen all the Hogan Hero episodes, Starsky and Hutch, you have two more episodes of Magnum PI. Can't have my favorite possession miss out on the joys of the seventies and eighties, can I? And then I might get Lambourni to bring over his Cyndi Lauper collection."  
  
"Are you trying to torture me?"  
  
She took her cell-phone and called the Cathedral. "He says he'll be able to do it this Sunday. That's tomorrow. And the children have to look presentable. I've only got the christening robe my mother gave me. You didn't learn sewing during your pretends, did you?" Miss Parker looked so sweet when she begged.  
  
"No. Unless we ask that lawyer with the extremely large family."  
  
"Right." She dialed again. "Hello, this is Miss Parker. We're having the babies baptized tomorrow, but it seems I'm short three christening robes.—no trouble. Thank you."  
  
Well as it was, the babies looked rather cute in their long robes, although Miss Parker had to take in Patricia's, Dominant babies being smaller than Sapien babies at birth.  
  
It was a beautiful ceremony even though she had a hard time watching as the priest took each child in turn and baptized him or her in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Lambourni, true to his promised, agreed to be godfather and raise them according to the tenets of the church should something happen to their parents.  
  
When they got home, Lewison said that her children were now free and the Centre could no longer claim them. He also mentioned that a representative of the Council would come in the next few months, but he was uncertain about the dates. She had no idea what he meant and disappeared before she could question him.  
  
Later that day, the chief accountant, believing because of her recent birth, Miss Parker was in a more receptive state, informed her that Raines had made a generous contribution to an unknown charity and she should do so in kind.  
  
"I already contribute to several charities," she said, "all legal, so what makes Raines's contribution different?"  
  
"A million dollars," he said.  
  
"Have you considered it to be a bribe for someone not to look the other way?" asked Jarod.  
  
"Excuse me I was talking to Miss Parker."  
  
"Well," said Miss Parker, "Jarod has a great knowledge of financial and legal matters. I always take his advice." She patted him on the back.  
  
Jarod gave the accountant, a "we're in this together" smile and continued. "You all know Raines has a rather dubious past. Perhaps someone threatened to expose it unless he gave a million dollars to a certain institution. Now if this person was in a position where  
  
their death would cause the Federal authorities to take notice, perhaps Raines would rather hand over the money than watch his life turn into a shambles."  
  
The Centre returned to normal while Lambourni and his crew worked on the column, engraving the celestial signs, waiting for the finish where they would initiated those five year olds who would be the Chosen. Only it would be a bitter ceremony for their grandparents were marked in the Centre and their own parents being like Lambourni, almost a Chosen but not quite.  
  
It was a bitter remembrance and someone would have to pay. When Cox had returned home, he had found Liza near death, shot by a Centre henchman and the children hiding in the kitchen closet. Although Cox was an evil man, he depended on Liza. It was Liza who was responsible for laying out his wardrobe every morning, Liza who made sure his suit went to the dry cleaners, Liza who made him feel like a king. He had never beaten her, nor talked down to her. He often took her to the theatre and smiled when they mistook her for his daughter. He opened his black bag and took out his equipment, but that would not do. Quickly he dialed a number on his cell phone. The man and woman who came over looked like any paramedics but their eyes had a cold glance. They were Dominants.  
  
"Leave everything to us, Dr. Cox," said the woman who removed the bullets by waving a curved instrument over her body. He watched in astonishment as they departed out the same hole from which they entered. A second later, the woman took out another instrument, and passed it over the holes. The man than took a hypodermic needle and pressed it into Liza's arm. "This contains a healing substance that will start the repair process. Your kind is not ready for it yet. It's effect is marred by many of the chronic diseases inherent in your homo sapien systems."  
  
There was nothing else Cox could do. He left, but not before making a call to the Dominant council. "I have information on eight children who are unmarked in the Inner Sanctum." He gave the Council the rest of the message and left for Miss Parker's. .  
  
Lambourni was having some wine with Miss Parker and Jarod when Cox came over.  
  
"What is it?" he asked.  
  
"Someone's shot Liza. Look when I joined the Centre, there was one thing the Centre could not do was to harm anything that was mine." He looked at Jarod. "I wouldn't have killed Zoe. Roughed her up a bit, but I cannot vouch for Lyle. The man's sick, the same as Raines. Never liked them."  
  
Twisted like you thought Jarod, but he did not say anything. He could remember all the times that Cox had hurt him, how he kidnapped Zoe, and no doubt would have killed her, in spite of his denials. Cox was an evil man, but like all evil men, he had the appearance of goodness and Liza and the children were that appearance.  
  
"I know that Raines plans to starve all the Pretenders in the Inner Sanctum. I know how to get in there and that there are eight without the Centre id."  
  
"You do?" asked Lambourni, his eyes glistening. "Oh could you send Gino over? I have an errand for him."  
  
"Why of course."  
  
When Miss Parker and Jarod entered the Centre the next day to show off the babies in full view of the staff, thereby preventing Raines or Lyle from harming them, they received the news or rather saw several bodies carted off to the morgue.  
  
"What's going on?" she asked.  
  
:"It's your fault," said Raines, "If you hadn't been cozy with that lawyer, this wouldn't have happened."  
  
"Oh?" she asked in mock surprise, "This time, Jarod's not to blame?"  
  
"My private Sanctum destroyed. My place of refuge gone. and someone used my credit card to charge up several items of clothes from the local Goodwill." He glared at the lawyer who told Lyle that, "The Centre has several unknown Pretenders. Someone must have miscounted, but now that Ted is unavailable, I thought it would be best that they work in the grounds, and in the Centre projects." He said this in front of Sydney, Broots, and of course, Raines, who could not protest.  
  
Soon several of the Dominants from the Mexican group and the Centre staff had new drivers, housekeepers, bodyguards, and other workers. The unmarked free were mingled with the other free Dominant children. The Mentor and the Lawyer could not reveal to Jarod and Miss Parker that these were their offspring yet. It would be too dangerous.  
  
Three months later, Lewison went over to Miss Parker's house,expanded because of the needs of growing children. He offered to lend one of the women to teach her how to care for her youngsters. The dungeon or at least, the wine cellar was filled with several  
  
bottles of wine. The chains and metal bars were noticeably absent.  
  
Just as the Mentor left, the lawyer appeared, staying just long enough to eat half the tin of Almond Roca and warn them that the Merging would happen soon. Miss Parker nodded sleepily and pulled her kimono tighter over her body. He mentioned something about "he's almost ready for the part. " That made Miss Parker wonder about the result of the coming Merging, because Jarod was unbuttoning his shirt, his trousers already on the floor.  
  
Jarod and Miss Parker had so many visits from Lambourni that Miss Parker kept having a recurring dream.  
  
She was out in a backyard, and saw behind her a large fence. Behind it Lambourni's head poked partially up and he said, "Hello neighbor!"  
  
"Yes, I had that Home Improvement dream again."  
  
"Perhaps you would consider watching Friend' then your dreams would take a... "  
  
He had not had a chance to finish his sentence. Someone ripped the shirt from his back, another two grabbed his feet and under his arms, and another one threw a blanket over Miss Parker.  
  
The ones that dragged them were Dominants, not Centre goons. They took them out to a van with darkened windows and drove out to a cave. Only this cave had a metal door. It must have taken them months to hollow it out and construct it. Someone shoved Jarod  
  
inside and handcuffed his arms and legs to a bed. He lay there staring up at the ceiling.  
  
It was the time for the Merging. 


	37. PLANS CHAPTER THIRTYSEVEN

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN  
  
A few minutes later, one of the Dominants shoved in Miss Parker along with a box containing enough food, drink, and other material to last at least a month, and sealed the door behind her.  
  
"You will have up to one month," he said, "Gino's mate will care for the infants." . "One month for what?" asked Jarod and then Miss Parker walked over to him and kissed him, a rather deep and possessive kiss.  
  
They were only there a week, but it reminded Jarod of the first time those months ago in that Centre house, when Miss Parker raped him. He tried to get loose but the handcuffs were of the unbreakable kind. When she tired of forcing him, she would fall asleep on him out of exhaustion. The morning she would take a damp cloth and wipe the sweat from his body, give him something to eat or drink, and then the whole procedure would begin again.  
  
The Dominants had built a toilet in the corner of the cave and placed a bedpan that Miss Parker brought to the bed.  
  
They aren't going to let me up, thought Jarod, We don't think like them. What is the purpose of all this?  
  
The bed was adjustable, and by the third day of the week, someone had let in some flowers and chocolates. Jarod assumed they were there for the benefit of Miss Parker, but they both enjoyed them.  
  
On the fifth day, things started to get on fire. He felt an urge to strangle her. He also noticed that in spite of his murderous desires, nothing below the waist cooperated and he no longer had to wait for that "she wants me" signal.  
  
The sixth day was the same, with the murderous intent dying down. Miss Parker had a bottle of wine and two glasses. It was hard to enjoy it with his handcuffs. He rather suspected who had supplied them.  
  
"We have been here six days, five hours, three minutes, and two seconds. Too long. Get these handcuffs off!" said Jarod.  
  
"I haven't the key and besides I don't want to. I have a very long memory and I hated all those tricks you played on me through those years. Payback time, slave." She whispered in his ear as she climbed on top.  
  
They wanted to their species to procreate and Miss Parker to survive. What they did not know was he could not kill her. Jarod with the instinct of a Dominant, knew that Miss Parker had conceived on the fourth day, two hours, twenty minutes, and five seconds after they locked them in the cave. There had to be another reason, perhaps to do with the Column. That, however, was not right. He would have been with the men chipping the designs into the stone. Miss Parker brought him back to reality. It took two minutes, none of the preliminary touching and she felt no pain when they joined.  
  
On the seventh day, one of his captors removed the handcuffs, and took Miss Parker to one side. Jarod could not see them and besides he wanted to get out of there, but they stopped him.  
  
Miss Parker appeared out of the shadows with his clothes and the other Dominant nodded and left.  
  
"Whatever it was," she said as Jarod put on his trousers, "you passed."  
  
When he looked down, he understood.  
  
Miss Parker no longer had to order Jarod, "hurry and get into bed, I want you in me," for Jarod no longer felt he had to ask permission.  
  
After the Merging, they gave Miss Parker and Jarod a feast of sliced beef and salsa over tortillas, avocado salad, rich chocolate cake and the chamomile tea the Dominants had learned to enjoy in Mexico. One of Lambourni's daughters brought in some chicken stuffed tortellini. Someone supplied lime sherbet and pina colada ice cream along with a bottle of rosé. Miss Parker was quite stuffed, but Jarod could have eaten a double portion, the Dominants having a higher metabolic rate than homo sapiens. Lambourni seemed rather occupied as he adjusted Jarod's control with the slowness of the appropriate ceremony common among the Dominants. It was no longer on 'kill.' There was now no need.  
  
Jarod felt if anyone tried to harm Miss Parker, he would kill them. He still had that murderous feeling the Dominants inherited, that cold calculating five-minute sense, that ability to sense human feelings and emotions. He felt he had not changed, but every time he looked at Miss Parker, he wanted her, or at least that part of his body did.  
  
Lambourni enjoyed a cup of tea. "I might as well give the reason for the Merging. By shortening the preliminary period, and eliminating the pain, we assure that we will procreate. Oh Raines wants to see me in his office."  
  
"Whatever for? Is he going to announce his retirement?" asked Jarod making a slashing motion across his throat.  
  
"I have no idea," he lied, "but will find out. I have been busy investigating a certain matter and now is the time." He motioned to the door that opened. The Packrats were there and they held Jarod's laptop. 


	38. PLANS CHAPTER THIRTYEIGHT

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT  
  
The blonde in the dark curly wig drove up to the large house, her makeup blending in with her disguise. She had to be careful. Her brother-in-law was suspicious so she had to put on an act. Too bad, she had not any onions to simulate tears, but Stephen had a good sense of smell.  
  
She would have to act stunned. She walked to the door and rung the bell. She waited for half an hour, and when no one came, took a key from her handbag.  
  
No one was there. Someone had removed every stick of furniture, even down to the stove and the built in dishwasher. She checked the bedrooms, Cleomedes's and that of his help. Even the children's dolls and toys were gone.  
  
Shrugging her shoulder, Miss Eva Winkler walked to the telephone, tried it but found it disconnected. She went out the front, looking the door behind her after wiping off her fingerprints, went back to her car, and waited.  
  
Twenty minutes later, she heard another car pull up and a woman getting out, saying, "Hello I didn't know if anyone was here."  
  
"Yes," said Eva, "I'm Mrs. Hall. I came looking for a Mr. Cleomedes, Stephen Cleomedes."  
  
"Judith Meister of Meister Realty and this is my client, Stephen Virgil. I hope you don't mind, but Mr. Cleomedes put this house on the market."  
  
"Good afternoon, Mrs. Hall." He was a man in his thirties or forties with a pock marked face, and sharp features.  
  
"Do you know where he's moving to?"  
  
"I think to Delaware. I can give you the address, if you'd like."  
  
"Thank you," said Eva getting out her notebook. She looked at the place with a greedy confidence. "I always had a soft spot in my heart for Stephen. I met him at the clinic. My husband had diabetes as well. I'm a nurse." She walked towards the house, noting the well-kept garden, and the brick patio. Stephen had a way with growing things.  
  
"Are you interested in buying?"  
  
"Oh probably."  
  
The real estate agent followed her, telling her of the renovated bathroom. The house had a finished basement. Miss Meister then sat down, and opened her purse, taking out a picture. "According to this, the bathroom should be over there, but it shows a wall."  
  
"Oh the bathroom's down the hall to the right," said Eva.  
  
"That's all I need to know," said the real estate agent, "Mrs Demetrius Cleomedes, alias Eva Winkler, you are under arrest for the murder of your husband."  
  
"That is a farce," said Eva as Malone put the handcuffs on her, "you have no proof."  
  
"Yes we do You entered the house with your own key, a key that you had as wife of Demetrius, Stephen's brother and we knew that you and he were married while Stephen was having his house remodeled. He furnished us the old photographs." 


	39. PLANS CHAPTER THIRTYNINE

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE  
  
The taller boy of the Packrat reminded Jarod of someone deep in his past. The eyes were similar as was the hair coloring, but this boy was at least four years older. He like the other children, a boy and a girl, were Dominants and low down on their social scale.  
  
All three were barefoot and their clothes were castoffs, the throwaways from another Dominant wardrobe or scrounged from the town dump. The girl's skirt was thin through excess washing and one could see her skin through it. Lambourni called Cox's house and asked for Gino, but Cox's servant was out hunting down those who harmed his daughter. The Grim Reaper filled Lambourni in on the details already known.  
  
:"I'll call Lewison." said Lambourni after shutting off his cell phone.  
  
"Raines is behind it," said Jarod while Lambourni talked to the Mentor about the finding some clothes for the Packrats.  
  
The lawyer had such a tribe of children, that he could clothe a whole school.  
  
"Look Liza has been protected since Cox obtained her. Why now?" asked Miss Parker.  
  
"Because Gino's my son. Raines hates me. You know that Frederick, Margaret, and our children have Parker blood in them, and are now free from the curse as is that other son or daughter who has our intelligence and craftiness. Go ahead and giggle, Miss Parker. Raines cannot touch or harm any of them. They are protected, but any child I produced by the Centre design is not under the Parker protection and Raines can kill them with impunity."  
  
"I doubt that they'll have much success, said Lambourni, "not with the new one working at Security and Records. I heard from Lewison that Raines got another boy from the Inner Sanctum and he had no idea who he was related to. Care to guess?" He snickered as he showed them the Centre document listing the above chattel.  
  
In a fit of stupidity or shortsightedness, the Centre gave Michael, Giuseppe's twin brother, the job of Security and Records , and the boy would notice any increase of cash, bullets, and other weapons given to certain staff, correction, Centre killers, after a certain deed had been done. He also knew their addresses, the members of their families, and told his father. Gino would not hesitate to kill the whole family.  
  
That was another thing that Raines nor the Centre had not counted on the ability of Pretenders and Dominants to recognize close kin. Now it is supposed that we humans have that ability, the mother who lost her child at an early age recognizes her own daughter when the girl is now in her twenties. However, that only happens when the daughter was lost when her adult features started to appear, not if she was lost as a baby. Second, you can recognize general appearances, but it only means that the boy with the brown hair and green eyes and round face had the same ancestry as you, not that he was your long lost little brother.  
  
As of yet, the Pretenders, that is, the Dominants controlled by the Centre, had not lost that ability. They needed to survive and that meant avoiding mating with brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, fathers, mothers, and first cousins. So instinct tuned each sense to its utmost. One could tell in a glance that the man before him was his brother and not his cousin; the girl was not his daughter but his sister, and so on. Jarod would have known his mother even if he never saw her photograph. The drug put in his food had not killed that ability.  
  
Jarod knew right away that the Packrats were Kyle's children. Instinct told him nephews and niece. "The Centre is going to have to hire some more goons," said Jarod.  
  
Miss Parker. "Yes I figure. You carry the wine. There's still a bit left if Lambourni doesn't want to take it back."  
  
"You can keep it," the lawyer said with a smile. "I was planning to give it away. Won't have anyone to drink it with."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"While you were here. Two planes crashed into the Twin Towers in New York. My mate was on one of the top levels along with my daughter-in-law."  
  
No one said anything. They dared not to. 


	40. PLANS CHAPTER FORTY

CHAPTER FORTY

So far, the Lynch clone and Kevin's plan had went perfectly. They knew the location where Tom and his mate lived and how to get it without detection.

Lynch was now working at a gas station, a job he detested as below his intellectual capabilities as he hated pretending to be human.

Now that did not mean that as a Dominant, he would have worn his hair long, painted his body with colors, wore a sleeveless jacket and looked barbaric with the usual knife, bandolier, and weapons. The ones that chased Attwood's men when they stole the Column did not look that way. They had shirts and pants on like everyone else and their hair was a reasonable length.

The women and girls, however, wore their skirts almost to ankle length, a necessary precaution when you mated at eight years old, or wanted to hide the babies you carried in your belly.

So what made a Dominant look different since they had their own style? For one thing, the Dominants wore scarves in weather where the Sapiens did not. You could spot a Dominant by him having on his jacket, vest, tie, and a scarf around his neck, while a Sapien wore a shirt open at the front because it was one hundred degrees in the shade. The Dominant did not feel the heat as much as the Sapien so there was no need for him to look casual.

The Dominants had just begun to develop a social class, necessary when you were a New Species. So far, it was the Chosen, the leaders, and the rest of them, but with the Progeny program, changes had to occur. The upper class, that is the Chosen and the Council, had their hair short. That included Lewis as well as Roderick and Paul. Now Lynch was a lower class Dominant, the original being a farmer worker back in Ireland who just happened to be descended from one of the original Celts who drove the original population back to oblivion, so he wore his hair shoulder length. That was another reason, the clone fumed. He was not good enough! And his anger grew with every imaginary offence. Now he had to look like the Sapien equivalent of what he really was, or what his original was.

It did not occur to him that with no jails for minor offences such as gambling, some Dominants were reduced to slavery and they could no longer cut their hair. To a Dominant male, more than Sapiens, this branded them more than a tattoo or an iron collar.

So Randall Clone looked in the mirror, comparing it with the typical casual Sapien shirt and pants of the working class shown in the Sears and Roebuck catalogue.

"How do I look?" he asked with obvious sarcasm.

"Like a human," Kevin said with contempt.

"That is what I aimed for."

There was another thing that made the Dominants appear different, the absence of any color rather than Caucasian. There never would be, unless Marcus decided to take an African American Sapien woman to wife, and their children marry other African Americans, be an African American leader much like those police chiefs in the television shows or bosses. And since Marcus's mate was an Italian Dominant, that was impossible.

The closest to Asians were those Dominants whose Homo Sapien ancestors the Allies recruited from Bulgaria or the former Soviet Union, or were the descendants of a Hun soldier who happened to settle in France, or Spain.

As for the Dominants in the future choosing a Black Chosen, that would never be. Part of the reason, they survived was that the Chosen looked like them. There would be no Black Chosen or Chinese Chosen because there were no Black Dominants or Chinese Dominants. They could hide better that way.

This meant the Limo ladies's execution of the Dominant peace leader was an exercise in futility. If she thought that a Black Dominant leader would arise, to ferment a racial war or get the liberals to accept them; she was mistaken.

Thinking of Marcus made the clone smile. He was out of harm's way, visiting his human ancestral home in Jamaica. _Of course, he would have to dive into the bay_, thought the Clone. _Port Royal's underwater unless he went to Wales to find those who skedaddled back. _

Marcus's great grandfather had been in Wales when MI-5 recruited him and his wife. His ancestor, John Davis, a pirate in the seventeenth century, witnessed the destruction of Port Royal from his ship and barely made it to safety. It appears he repented of his violent life for he took his mulatto wife back with him to Cardiff and started a clothier's shop.. It took only a few centuries for the Davis's to look white and Marcus was considered to be a throwback.

"So where are we going?" asked the boy.

"The Sapien minor criminal gangs, the Bloods and the Crips are having a meeting. I figure we should enjoy ourselves at their expense, but it is in a human bar. They don't; allow children there."

Kevin's eyes blazed. "A child?"

"To the humans, you are. Can you mask yet?"

"I can fool humans, but I have not been told how."

"I have no time to show you," said Randall Clone. This was a lie because as a Clone, Masking was not only forbidden to him, but if he had watched someone masking and learned their methods, the Medicals would take him to the Restoration Area where his memory would be wiped cleaned of that particular incident. In this he was worse off than Dominant male consorts or concubines. At least, they could watch and learn even though no one was allowed to teach them.

It was a short walk to the bar along the dark streets with the desert air and the music blaring from so many radios, and the television sets blaring with the news, late show, and other junk.

The bar, the Cresido, was located on a side street in a rather shady neighborhood. . Now Cresido, in spite of the regulations, did not cater to the law. For when the Clone entered by the front door, he could see that most of the clientele definitely would not reach eighteen or twenty-one for a few years. They mostly ignored him, being more interested into dividing territories and setting down the penalties for those who crossed the line.

The patrons, except for the neutral bartender, were divided almost equally, into the Bloods and the Crips and an invisible line in the place showed on what side each was on. They eyed each other with hostility, but there was a truce because you could not exactly divide the casinos unless it was by days.

"So it is agreed," said the leader of the Crips, "That on the first and third weekends of the month, the Crips go to the Silver Bullet Casino while the Bloods go to it on the second and fourth weekend."

"And what about February?" demanded a Blood, "there are not that many weekends. I don't intend to miss one Saturday."

"Yes and what about the Christmas week?"

"Oh Bones, everyone knows you spend it with you mo…" He swung around, his eyes lowering. "Can you believe it? That gringo, Señor Roderick told us about."

"Sí," said the Crip leader as he took out his knife, "The one whose with you!"

"But he's not with us, he's with you," said the Blood who repeated the story the Los Angeles faction told him.

_I think we're in trouble_, thought the Clone, and whispered to Kevin who had sneaked in the back. "Get out of here! There's too many of them!"

With that Kevin rushed out the back, while Randall Clone rushed out the front with at least two dozen of very angry gang members armed with the usual knives, chains, and gins after them.

"Pablo, cut them off!" yelled one.

A Crip took out an Ozzie from inside his belt and started shooting, hitting a car parked across the street and injuring the two necking inside.

The boy got out the driver's seat, pulling the girl after him. She had a horrible gash in her cheek and shrieked uncontrollably.

Meanwhile Randall Clone and Kevin had made to their house. "We can't take much," he told the boy, "Taking what is necessary."

Kevin ran inside, grabbing what was essential for a Dominant, that is, he left the money and electrical equipment and went for whatever they could use as weapons. Meanwhile, the Clone, being more practical, rummaged the drawers for the dollar bills and coins they had hidden and stuffed them in their pocket.

"We need some clothes," he told Kevin, "Got back and get a couple of jackets, shirts, pants, and undergarments in both our sizes. We also need cosmetics, toiletries, shaving utensils. Our species still shaves."

"Yes sir."

"Get in the truck and wait for me."

The Clone went to the garage, taking out a gas can. After pouring the gas around the house, he lit a match. In a moment, the whole place was an inferno and then they lit out for the country where they would in turn be a prey for Roderick, Paul, and the other Dominants.


	41. PLANS CHAPTER 41

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE  
  
Tom ran out of his house when he saw Roderick's car park in the driveway. "Have they left Las Vegas, yet?" he asked, referring to the Randall Clone and Kevin  
  
"Yes sir," said Roderick, thinking that perhaps there should be a better title rather than sir, but they had not been here long enough to establish their own language.  
  
Some of them were thinking of Leader, partly because their children were engrossed in a human television show soon to be offered in VHS format—if not already, called V. Its significance to the Dominants now was not identifying with the victims or victors, i.e, "We are being persecuted by the humans" nor "We are stronger than the humans, once we get rid of their leaders as the Visitors failed to do, we will succeed," but the timeline and the failure of the invading force to win. Having mostly everyone pretending to be humans and then having a few showing their true self, for instance, was not conducive to Victory. Having a few, the Chameleons, trained to be humans was a better method. Invading with a large army and bringing their families along with you was also anathema to their plans. A few would suffice; a few that would kill the humans in such a way as to avoid detection or to put the blame on another group, the Serial killers.  
  
The result would be that the Dominants would gradually overcome the Sapiens before they were aware of it. Of course, that led to some problems, the Sapiens and Dominants might cooperate which was what was happening now.  
  
"I will come with you." Tom went back in his house and got his gun.  
  
"What's the matter?" asked Sloan.  
  
"I will have a female of our species to look after you. They are stronger than you and will protect you until I return," he said and motioned to a young woman of about twenty who did not look like she could kill a fly.  
  
Sloan looked at him strangely. "Her?"  
  
Tom smiled. "No one will suspect that she is strong."  
  
The Dominant female said her name was Donna and that is all Sloan knew. She was blonde, petite, had already produced twelve sets of children. Sloan could not get over that this woman at twenty had forty- eight offspring. The significance of the Dominants eventually replacing all Sapiens would have frightened Sloan if she did not know that skirmishes, accidental deaths, and other calamities had reduced the Dominant population, but not by that much.  
  
In about one hundred years, there would be no homo sapiens left, at least in the Caucasian population. And Sloan was sure that once that was accomplished, they would eliminate rather than breed with the others.  
  
The tests in that unknown location were the first steps of hope. If the Dominants could see that they needed them, there would be no need to breed the Homo Sapiens out of existence and if they could be regarded as equals rather than slaves, so much the better.  
  
However, that was in the future and Sloan wanted to do something. She wanted to go with her husband, to get the killers of her mother and Donna sensed it.  
  
"You wish to go with your mate, to hunt the killers?"  
  
"Get in the back," said Roderick with a smile. The Sapien female showed good sense. A woman must hunt with her mate.  
  
"I could have taken our car," she said.  
  
Tom turned around. "This way is better. The Clone and Kevin will see the cars in the driveway and assume we're all home. I hope you prepared the house." He addressed this last sentence to Donna.  
  
"Yes sir. I set the timer switch to random, and programmed the oven as well as the appropriate odors."  
  
"What if they're looking for shadows?" asked Sloan as she imagined a Tom and Sloan clone moving about.  
  
"There are other Dominants in the area. I put the signal for two, a male and female of your height. They will sneak in—we have ways—and pretend to be you," said Donna.  
  
"How much do we owe?"  
  
"Nothing. I am owned, a skirmish between two of our groups. It happened when I was a child."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"This car is equipped for desert driving," said Tom and handed Sloan what did not look like binoculars, this was different.  
  
It had the normal two lenses, but was flatter, being more a combination of regular glasses and binoculars. It could fit over one's eyes or carried by a strap. With the Dominant prevalence of making certain not to be seen, anyone could assume that either someone was looking through binoculars or was a soldier engaged in night vision.  
  
"Since you do not have our senses," said Roderick, "that will help you."  
  
"What are you going to do with Randall Clone and Kevin once you catch them?"  
  
"The Clone, of course, will be eliminated. He is a non entity. You have a human look on your face of astonishment. We have regulations, rules for the creation of Clones. Randall Lynch was not of the Chosen nor the Council. Even I, a Councilor do not have a Clone. The Chosen had his true birth sibling." Roderick turned the wheel. He had spotted someone.  
  
"What about Kevin? He's a boy."  
  
"He disobeyed," said Tom, "in killing your birth mother the Favorite of Paul. She was guarding his progeny. Even if she were alone, the crime would need to be punished for only Paul could make the decision to dispose of her and Lupe was past the age when this was usually done. That thing with glasses?"  
  
Sloan nodded.  
  
"When we kill, we take those as tokens, as proof, not because of their weak eyes. Our Medicals can cure eye diseases. Besides none of them were Favorites. They would have been taken already and their garments burnt and the Medicals would have restored their vision to normal as well as performed gene therapy on them, if necessary."  
  
Suddenly, Roderick twisted the wheel to one side, almost causing Sloan to drop the binoculars. She quickly picked them up, and looked out the window to where a truck sped along the highway, pursued by several cars and trucks.  
  
'The gangs have joined together," said Tom, reaching for his gun.  
  
"They must not catch up with them, for if they do, they will find out about us," said Roderick. He pressed on the gas pedal, and the car shoot ahead, going over the bumps, gravel flying in all directions.  
  
Sloan and the Dominant female both checked their seat belts, which had extra padding in the area that protected the stomach. "To protect the future," said the latter.  
  
Sloan understood why. Girls of eight, even Dominant girls, did not have much fat in that area so they needed extra protection.  
  
The car almost every bump in the desert until it came back on the highway. Now they were between the Clone's truck and the Crip and Blood vehicles following them.  
  
"We speed up," said Roderick, "get your weapons ready!" He held his gun in one hand, and steered with the other.  
  
Now Tom had his weapon out, and looked back to see if the followers would be able to retaliate if he shot at them. "Put your head out!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Sloan put your head out."  
  
She did so and the cars and trucks following them, slowed down. "Why?"  
  
"I told them that Randall Clone got a girl pregnant. They'll assume that you are that girl and that Tom is your man getting revenge. A matter of honor among them."  
  
Tom turned back. The gang vehicles were going down another road. "They're going to cut the Clone off a different route. They'll get to him first.:"  
  
"No they won't," said Roderick, "Our cars are equipped to go faster." The speedometer now registered 200.  
  
It happened in an instant. The bullet sped out of Roderick's gun, hitting with deliberate aim, Randall Clone who lost control of the truck and crashed into a gulley.  
  
Tom and Roderick wasted no time. They rushed over to the truck, and climbed down. The Clone was still there, his head to one side and the blood trickling from his neck where Roderick had aimed. .  
  
Randall Clone was dead, but Kevin had gone. 


	42. PLANS CHAPTER 42

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO  
  
The news of Randall Clone's death was greeting with the usual non-emotional Dominant response. However, there were other matters. "We will put a notice to find Kevin," said Roderick, "and then we will discuss the Peace ones."  
  
"Why is that important?" asked Tom, "My mate needs protection."  
  
"She will have some."  
  
At that moment, Tom saw a familiar figure. "It's Ed Tate and he has Marcus with him."  
  
"Good," said Roderick, "I have an idea. Our infiltration into the humans is going quite well among those of our ancestors, but Marcus has part of the African ancestry in him."  
  
"Are you planning to make African American Dominants?" asked Sloan.  
  
"No," said Tom, "but Marcus is what you would call an Octoroon. His human ancestors come from Wales and Jamaica. He also has children. If one of them were to mate with an Octoroon, that would start the seed in that direction. It has nothing to do with what you call racial cooperation, but survival."  
  
"The danger is your history with these section of your species," said Roderick, "The Council has discipline Marcus on his rash action."  
  
"Joining the Peace ones?" asked Ed who heard almost everything.  
  
"Not that," said Tom, "Identifying with those descended from their enslaved brethren. We do not want a division among our Species. We already fight over dominance, as it is. His statement referring to him being of that particular group would cause one Dominant sector being less than another. Even when one of our Species is enslaved because of excess debt, we do not do it to a particular group. That is why we must proceed with caution. The children of those will have the same fights as all Dominants and their predominance will be on ability not on shade."  
  
"Don't you need all the Council here for this decision?" asked Sloan.  
  
She need not have bothered for Roderick had already put out the signal.  
  
They came in trucks, cars, and on planes, disguised as business travelers, farmers, and tourists. There were not that many and among them from the East came the Advocate who would put these all together into the Dominant Book that had no name for it as of yet although there were several suggestions, the most prominent being, "Laws and Edicts of the New Species," "The Diaspora Our Species History" or "We Will Rule in the Kingdom of Man," all which met with a veto from Lambourni. So until a proper name came up, it was known as the Dominant Book.  
  
For The Chosen's and his mate's safety, they decided to hold their Council in the same section where Paul and Roderick conducted those tests and as Tom was the Chosen he had to go along. His word would be the final say.  
  
Since Sloan was married to Tom, and was expecting, she went along as well. Roderick was reluctant to have Ed along, and Attwood was a definite no-no as was Ray since the Council would indirectly affect him.  
  
"I'll conduct the juvenile authorities," said Ray, "and see if anyone spotted this Kevin."  
  
"NIS has arrested one of the men responsible for the deaths of two Navy able bodied seamen and the injuries sustained by Carl Geronti, so I have to go to Quantico for the Court Martial," said Attwood.  
  
"You must have been quite young."  
  
"Geronti was not the only one who lied about his age," said Walter, "I should be back in a week. Now that both sides are willing to talk, I don't have to worry about them killing us and us killing them."  
  
Roderick handed him Kevin's photograph. "Be sure to put this on your dangerous youth network. He's what you would call, persona non grata among the New Species."  
  
They all knew what he meant. Kevin's identification as one of the New Species would be known to all', not just a select few.  
  
And so, the rest drove to the secret location, after making sure that no airplane flew overhead.  
  
They set up the meeting in a cave, which did not surprise Sloan. As the honored mate of the Chosen, she sat in a special chair besides her husband.  
  
The Councilors came in the cave one at a time. You might say two at a time or one at a time because the mates of the Councilors were included. However, this was not to do with the amount of time a Dominant female remains under the tutelage of an older one or the household so it did not matter if the women were here or not. In Dominant society, they listened to their females who would put a perspective on whether to save captive Sapien females since this meant that they would have someone under foot.  
  
Tom introduced the Councilors as they came in. Sloan knew Roderick, head of the Extermination Program and Paul, the head of the Chameleons, and then there was Lewis, head of the Mentors. He smiled a bit at her, acknowledging that he now accepted her into the Dominant community.  
  
"There doesn't seem to be all of them," said Sloan.  
  
"Roderick is also head of the Propaganda program until we find the survivors of the Lost Ships. That man is Gregory, head of the Co-operation program. He also heads the Medicals until we have the other one from the Lost Ships. Over there, the one with the brown hair and the white jacket and pants with the loud tie is Eliot, head of the Financial Distribution program."  
  
They all seemed to be around forty years old, but Sloan knew the Dominants aged slower than Sapiens as the former called Humans or Homo Sapiens. She was astonished that the Dominants used short cuts, probably something they inherited from their ancestors.  
  
She stared at the auburn haired man whose hair brushed his shoulders. He was handsome, medium tall, and handsome, the kind of men that women swooned over. Well that did not matter to Sloan who felt Tom was the handsomest man in the world, but this other man would come a close second. There was a certain quirk in his eyes, but the stranger seemed to keep it under control.  
  
"Antonio Lambourni, head of the Advocate Program," said Tom, "he comes alone without his mate. She works in the Twin Towers."  
  
"A human?"  
  
"No. Rumor is that he is descended from the Lost Ships. One of the Dominants sent to infiltrate New York found him as a boy and knew his true potential. The first head of the Advocate Program, Arthur, died in the Diaspora. The Dominants arranged his union with his mate. She's part Russian."  
  
"Lambourni is a Raised," added Roderick and explained the term to Sloan.  
  
"Do you mean his parents were slaves?" she asked.  
  
"One or both. We know he is a Dominant because we sense each other. We know he is not from Mexico, because his Dominant DNA does not match ours here. We did record the Gerona and Geronti DNAs. They have the—for want of a better designation—the alien factor. So Lambourni is a descendant of the Lost Ship."  
  
"So how did you know one of his parents were captives?"  
  
"I received a report from our infiltrators. They found out that a certain cabal captured most of the Dominants in the Eastern United States and the examination of the Damaged Dominants affirmed this. We can only conclude until further evidence, that the majority of those in the Lost Ships are dead and any survivors are few "  
  
"But what if he was born free?"  
  
"He is a Progeny. An organization that would enslave our species would have no qualms of enslaving its own. We also have a rule in the Dominant Book that you are considered the child of your natural parents unless you are adopted by the legal rules of our Species and yours. Lambourni was adopted by what you call a black market baby adoption. In ours more than yours, that is illegal. Therefore he is still considered an offspring of his natural parents."  
  
´It takes quite a time to go through all the rules and examples in the Dominant Book."  
  
"Do not worry. It has changed and evolved since its conception. Now the Council has begun!"  
  
Every Councilor took turns at leading the Council. For now, it was Lewis's turn. He saw Sloan but showed no noticed of recognition or surprise.  
  
A small boy brought in the Dominant symbol, a small replica of the original column and one of the Dominants lifted him up so he could put it on the table. Hew He then went over to the side and sat down along with another boy.  
  
"Whose he?" whispered Sloan.  
  
"I think they call him Pablo. Roderick saved him when he killed some human captives. He's going to make him his driver when he's old enough. I heard also that Roderick has a grand daughter about his age. He'll be her Favorite if Roderick does not arranging his joining with a non free Dominant or Sapien of the right training. Now you had better listen."  
  
"Are we all present? All Councilors?" asked Lewis.  
  
"Yes, I Roderick, head of the Extermination and Propoganda Program."  
  
"Yes, I Paul, head of the Chameleon Program!"  
  
And so it went each Councilor announcing himself to the head.  
  
"Now, let the assembly begin! We will Rule in the Kingdom of Man!"  
  
After the Councilors all said their motto, the meeting began.  
  
"Marcus come forth1"  
  
He faced them.  
  
"The Council has decided that in spite of your indiscretion in helping the humans prematurely and without our approval, you will no longer be censored. You identifying with those humans of dark coloring as your brothers is a crime against the New Species. As you know, we do not wish the identification of division so prevalent, nor do we wish to mate with those of dark coloring to prove our, er, tolerance. However, we have decided that you have two daughters, Lydia, and Maria who are of mating age and whose first mates were killed by the humans As they have already produced offspring for the new species, you will arrange their union with suitable Octoroon homo sapiens on the Jamaican island of your ancestor." With that Lewis handing Marcus a small octagon- shaped device that fit into the palm of his hand. "This will ensure the appropriate mixture. In time, perhaps we will arrange a union with one of a darker coloring, but only at a time when such difference in shade is not noticeable."  
  
"I am honored, but I am not in the Chameleon program. I am a Medical."  
  
"I didn't know he was a Medical," whispered Sloan to Tom.  
  
"Medicals include not only doctors or nurses, but research scientists into diseases. Our Species are stronger than yours. The only common factor in diseases is the Spanish Flu. For that reason, we are trying to find out any illnesses other than gun shot wounds, susceptible to us."  
  
"Do you mean that someone who has a four minute warning? And what do you mean the right training?"  
  
"Yes. Right training? Academic education, skilled in a craft is the correct training, literacy. Now just be quiet while the Council finishes its ruling." . Marcus was to make sure that his daughters married a suitable human of theirs or their father's coloring and ancestry. However, if he tried to marry them to someone of darker countenance, the Council could kill the offspring.  
  
"Innocent babies?"  
  
"We have that right and Marcus may be executed. It also applies to those of the Amerindian strain. Right now the Council is looking into that end as one of the Dominants has a Favorite who is also Mexican, of part Spanish and Aztec descent. They already have offspring. However, their mates are living and the Council does not want to risk putting the men in a dangerous position just to kill them so their widows can unite with a suitable Mexican human."  
  
Marcus agreed to the terms which included arranging the marriage or union between someone of the upper strata in Jamaican society. The Advocate put all this on a sheet of paper and waited until another Dominant brought in a machine.  
  
Quickly the Advocate put this in the machine and pressed a few indentations. In less than a minute, the new version of the Dominant Book shot out which he handed to each of the other Councilors who said each in turn, "The Executioners Accept This!"  
"The Propogandists Accept This!" , "The Chameleon's Accept This!" , until Lambouni concluded with, "The Advocates Accept This! Let this be known to the New Species, that the official record of our laws, tenets, culture, and history be acknowledged, that each Councilor shall receive a copy, that it be placed in each group, that it be given to each head, and that it be given to the Mentors for the edification of us all! May we rule in the Kingdom of Man!"  
  
The Councilor's rose and repeated the motto, "May we rule in the Kingdom of Man!"  
  
They then left as quickly as they returned. Tom and Sloan to their house, the Executioner with little Pablo to Los Angeles, the one in charge of the Co-operation program back to Brownsville, Texas, everyone of them disappeared so that the desert was as if no man had been there and the only sounds one heard were the rattlesnakes, lizards, and the window blowing throw the hills.  
  
.  
  
.  
  
.  
  
.  
  
. 


	43. PLANS CHAPTER 43

CHAPTER FORTY THREE  
  
As the months drew by, Tom and Sloan believed that they were out of danger. The highway patrol kept a running tab on their house, driving by at least twice a day. All they knew was that someone had killed Sloan's mother and had made certain threats against her family. There were so many crazies in the world.  
  
Ed had hired a new assistant who was working on a formula that would temporarily change Dominants into Sapiens, just in case Limo Lady got another batch of goons to help her. The formula changed Dominant children into humans while in the womb and had already been successful on the five human women and two Dominant women whose first batch Limo Lady and her minions had already killed. On Paul's suggestion, Ed arranged with a Medical to give tests to ensure future fertility successes since failure on that end had the same result as a homo sapien who had an affair before she married and found as a result, she was sterile or gave up the only child she bore for adoption. Dominants did not show guilt the same way as Sapiens. Instead, they stopped smiling and seldom sneered.  
  
Of course, this reaction also occurred if a Dominant's mate died and he or she was unable to prevent it and homo sapiens confused this limited reaction because they assumed Dominants did not sneer unless they were plotting something. Actually Dominants sneered when they were expecting more offspring, got a new AKA 47 or weapon, celebrating a name day, joking with their mates which considering how fast their population grew, could be construed by Sapiens as plotting something, i.e. plotting to take over the world.  
  
Roderick came along with messages from Marcus who had found that getting suitable mates for his daughters among the Octoroons in Jamaica not that successful. It appeared not all the children would be the same, some almost white and some so dark you would bump into them at night without a flashlight. Roderick advised that he could mate his daughters with some Sapiens who were only one tenth or more since their children might have the appropriate skin color. This meant that Marcus would have to mingle with the upper and upper middle class, something he was reluctant to do so Roderick talked to Paul who sent a couple of Chameleons who were masquerading as business leaders.  
  
Sloan started feeling pains around one in the morning, but assumed the drug that Ed gave her. Because Kevin was still around, Tom figured it would be best for them that their first children were born Sapiens and so after Sloan went through the appropriate tests, she got her first dosage one month after she conceived.  
  
"What's wrong?" asked Tom with concern.  
  
"The babies must have dropped," she said. Actually, she did not know how Dominant babies reacted, since most of them were in separate uteruses and how were they delivered? That was the problem. Did they all come out the same way as Sapien babies or did the Dominant move have four separate holes? She figured that if it were the latter, the Dominant females would have a flayed bulge at the bottom and that they would wear only wide skirts. . However, her musing ceased by another pain, this on five minutes later and a spurt of water soaked the floor. She nudged Tom.  
  
"I think the babies are coming! We've got to get to the hospital right away, it's too early!"  
  
Sloan could not do anything while Tom got out of bed, put on his clothes, and grabbed as many things necessary for the impending delivery. Luckily, he was quite well organized. That was one thing about being a Dominant; you had no emotions in the way of preparation.. He packed the essentials in the readily prepared suitcase, the small diapers, the package of chamomile tea (Sloan had no idea what this was for, but Tom explained it was a Dominant custom.) and the carrying wrapper with the four pouches. He also packed the sleeping night garments (as the Dominants called nightgowns.), a silk pink nightgown and a blue kimono plus assorted underwear, bra, and Sloan's best dress and skirt and blouses which he was sure would fit her.  
. . Tom rushed to get the car. "I'll take you to the hospital. You might have to stay in bed for the rest of the confinement." When he had the car started, he carried Sloan to the car. He strapped her flat on the back seat, propping her head up on a pillow and drove started the car down the highway.  
  
They failed to notice boys hidden in the front seat of a truck besides the driver, nor the driver's head lolled awkwardly towards one side. As soon as Kevin saw the Chosen and his mate head towards the hospital, they kicked the dead driver out at the side of the road, and using the destructor, turned him into ashes that scattered in the wind.  
  
Cactus, rocks, houses, and ranches became a blur as Tom rushed to their destination. It had been a decision to go to the one in California or the one in Nevada, but since the Nevada one was close, they decided to go there even though it might not have the medical equipment. Luckily, however, a Chameleon in the disguise as a wealthy benefactor donated some high-end equipment so that Tom did not have to worry.  
  
"The babies are going to be all right," Tom assured his mate.  
  
"What if one of them is in the stomach area?" she asked through gasps of pain.  
  
Dominant eggs ready for insertion were smaller than Sapien eggs and rushed out of even a badly scarred fallopian tube. However, since often times three of the eggs were going down at the same time, and blocked the passage of the fourth egg often attached itself to the nearest place, inside the abdominal cavity. .  
  
When they arrived, they could see the emergency room filled to the brim with locals, most of which had the usual accidents that happened in a mountainous area, cuts and bruises from falls, or from falling off of horses, from jeeps and the like. There was only one attendant who decided who would go. She took one look at Sloan, and while Tom gave the receptionist at the hospital Sloan's medical information, and her Blue Cross number, had her rushed to the delivery room. Tom sensed that there was at least two or three Dominants in the waiting room, and was just about to see whether one of Roderick's or Paul's men were there, when a nurse rushed towards the delivery room with a neonatal unit.  
  
"It's all right, sir," she said, "we've done this before. Do you want to be in the delivery room?"  
  
"I'll stay out here," said Tom and then took several coins out of his pocket. "Got to let the family know." He waited until the nurse had left and then putting the coins back in his pocket, turned on his indicator.  
  
However, no one rushed the hospital, no enemies of the Chosen and his mate showed up to eliminate the heirs. The clock hands moved from ten past two to ten past three to quarter after six. The doctor came out and said that they had a boy. It was as if Tom suspected. Only one child had survived.  
  
"I thought I heard four heartbeats," said the obstetrician, "but I may have been mistaken. On the off chance that the other babies have survived, I'm putting your wife on a monitor. If the babies are dead, they will come out sooner or later."  
  
Tom did not want to think that most of his children were dead. He went back to the waiting room, and this time he used his coins to telephone the group and tell that only one might have survived.  
  
"An hour?" he asked and hung up the phone.  
  
By this time, the nurse had placed Sloan and her son in the mother's room with its fancy bed with the pink cover, a small window looking over a pleasant garden with a fountain, and all the comforts for a new mother. A nurse came in every few minutes to see if she was all right, and to show her how to care for her new son. Sloan still felt pains but figured it was the aftermath.  
  
In the meantime, Tom waited for Ed and Walter to show up and for Ray to arrange protection and then he heard a shot.  
  
"It's come from mother's room!" said a nurse rushing towards the mother's room. She took one look and then, "Get the sheriff right away! There's been a shooting!"  
  
As the receptionist frantically called the law, Tom rushed in to see Sloan lying on the bed, blood spurting from four holes below her waist. He took one look at her, heard a small pulse, not detectable by humans, and shook his head and then he heard a weak squeal coming from below the bed where his mate had pushed the baby. If whoever did it was still here, he had to make them believe they succeeded.  
  
"What happened?" asked the nurse. "She was all right just a minute ago when I checked."  
  
"I saw a couple of boys in the waiting room," said a security guard, but when I turned my back, they had gone.  
  
"What did they look like?" asked Tom.  
  
"One had auburn hair, short, looked kind of pleasant. The other looked as if he had been in an accident. I sent them to get checked up. Wait here I'll ask if they saw anything." He came back to say. "The doctor's must have attended them already. They're not here."  
  
Kevin, thought Tom as the attending nurse picked the newborn boy from under the bed. He saw his wife's pale face. "Is she dead?"  
  
The doctor shook his head. "I'm afraid so. Lucky she pushed the baby under the bed in time or it would have been dead too. This one meant to kill the other fetuses if they were not dead already." He started to pull the cloth over Sloan's supposed lifeless body and checked her once more with his stethoscope when suddenly he heard a faint heart beat "Code red! There's another baby still alive in here!"  
  
. . 


	44. PLANS CHAPTER 44 CONCLUSION

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR  
  
The emergency room staff worked quickly to save the little one still in Sloan's body. "It's in the stomach cavity," said the doctor as the nurse prepared the instruments. "We'll have to do a caesarean."  
  
"Doctor, there's two others, both dead," said the nurse.  
  
"We have to remove them. Carefully, nurse."  
  
They worked quickly, getting the scalpel ready, administering the anesthetics that would put Sloan to sleep during the operation. Soon after going into the emergency room, a nurse had detected Sloan's slight pulse and they used the paddles to get her heart going.. However, she had lost a lot of blood so while cutting open her stomach and removing the baby, the doctors and nurses had to administer a blood transfusion. Luckily, Sloan was type A positive.  
  
"It's a girl," explained the doctor hearing the squeal as they brought the baby out, cleaned it, and checked it for any problems. "Very small, but she looks to be a fighter. Now let's get working on saving the mother."  
  
They had already taken out the two dead babies, a boy, and a girl. The bullet hole had met their mark, right through both tiny hearts. One of the nurses, whose father was in the army, explained that whoever did this knew exactly where to shoot. It was so unusual, but then they did not know anything about Dominants nor about Progenies.  
  
Meanwhile Tom paced outside, wondering if they could save his mate and wondered about the other thing that Ed had found out. The living baby boy was not a Homo Sapien, but a Homo Dominant. It was a simple matter of taking a small scraping while checking him in the arms of the nurse.  
  
"Do you mean the drug failed?" asked Tom.  
  
"I administered it or rather my assistant did," said Ed.  
  
"Did you watch him closely?" asked Attwood who had just arrived a few minutes ago.  
  
"As close as I could. Wait here."  
  
:"Just a moment," said Tom and whispered to Ed.  
  
Ed nodded. Through the window in the operating room, he could see that the doctor and the two nurses were having a hard time plugging all the holes. He knocked on the door of the emergency operating room, showed them his credentials. "I'm a doctor. Do you need any help?"  
  
"Yes," called the doctor..  
  
Ed waited until a nurse instructed him to go into the changing room.  
  
A few minutes later, Ed took a scraping from the living girl infant and from the two dead ones. He stayed for an hour, assisting the other doctor until they took their gloves off.  
  
"She's going to make it," said the main surgeon.  
  
"Her husband asked you to do something, please," said Ed and told him Tom's request.  
  
"It's rather unusual, but if it'll get the one who did this horrible deed," He surgeon put on his most serious face and went over to Tom who put his head down as if in mourning. No one noticed him slipping The Chosen a piece of paper with a check mark on it.  
  
Attwood could see the sadness on Tom's face. Sloan was dead. He went over to comfort him. Not only him, but Ray who was beating himself over the head figuratively for not providing more protection.  
  
However, Tom showed them the note. "Sloan's still alive. They're moving her to another room in the hospital. Oh and the babies are dominants. I'll have to question Ed's assistant."  
  
However, they were more concerned with Sloan. An orderly led them down to the basement level and to a door that opened on a tunnel under the street until they reached a blank wall. However, Tom could make out a door at the other end. It was painted the same color as the wall, and almost invisible. The orderly pressed open the door, which swung open.  
  
The room had once been a bomb shelter. They could still see the shelves on which the inhabitants had put the cans of beans, corn, vegetables, and stew to survive during an atomic blast. Part of the room showed where they would have put the water containers, as well as the small Coleman stove and white gas for cooking. A grid above showed where they would receive ventilation from outside.  
  
Walter knew all about bomb shelters. His parents had built one during the Cuban Crisis. He remembered their fears every time a plane went over ahead. When he joined the Navy Seals, they kept asking him if he was going over to Cuba and stop Castro. It was a turbulent period in his life. "Are you sure the murderer won't try here?" he asked.  
  
"No sir. We've got pretty tight security and now that we know that it was a young boy or a little person, we'll be more careful." He pointed ahead. "The other door to the former shelter leads from the morgue."  
  
"So whoever tried to kill Sloan will think she's dead," said Tom.  
  
"Yes. Sometimes the U.S. Marshall asks us if they can use it to hide people in the Witness Protection, those who have been shot and presumed dead, but I never imagined it would be used for this." He opened the door.  
  
Tom saw his wife lying in a bed, tubes stuck through her body, the fluids keeping her alive. A nurse kept watch while another nurse came in from another area.  
  
"So is there any risk of contamination?" he asked.  
  
"No," said the other nurse. "There is a passageway from the morgue and a separate room with a wash basin and shower between. It's all quite safe."  
  
Radios and cell phones did not work down here, but there was a telephone on the wall with the number to the sheriff, the FBI, the Air force, Army, and any one they wished to contact in case of an emergency.  
  
"How's she doing?" asked Tom holding his wife's hands.  
  
"It's touch and go right now. Right now she's in serious condition. We just upgraded it from critical. The next few hours will determine if she'll live or die."  
  
So for the next few hours, Tom watched the clock turn ever so slowly while the nurses came in to check on his wife. Ed had left to get his assistant and find out what went wrong.  
  
"She looks so peaceful there," said the nurse, "and the little ones? They're healthy. As soon as she wakes up, we'll take her to them."  
  
"Will she be able to nurse them?"  
  
"Probably, but we have breast pumps just in case and we keep a supply of breast milk for premies."  
  
An hour later, Ed returned with his assistant. Tom took one look at him and he knew. The assistant was a Dominant.  
  
"I had to do it," he said, "The Chosen's children cannot be Sapiens. We have too many enemies."  
  
"But don't you know about Kevin?"  
  
"A product of a Dominant father and a weak mother who coddled him. Look changing us to you will not save you. Soon another will do what was done in England, and soon we will be reborn anew."  
  
"We cannot live together."  
  
"That is because your species has forgotten its strengths. Is there any outside who would die for their beliefs, except for fanatics and those of the true Christian religion?"  
  
Of course, no one there knew what the true Christian religion and doubted the Dominant assistant did. Each decided that it was their beliefs. For Walter, it was the Episcopal Church, for Ed, it was Roman Catholicism, for Ray it was Baptist, for the orderly it was Methodist, for one of the nurses it was Dutch Reformed, and for the other nurse, it was Greek Orthodox. Sloan's adopted parents had been Roman Catholics who left their faith and she was not in a position to answer. Therefore, everyone kept silent and rather than thinking of certain men, thought about Nero and the lions. It was easier that way.  
  
"The Progenies, those who did not give way to Chaos, even the Sapiens look on their Dominant sire with fear and becoming one of you does not protect them."  
  
Attwood agreed that the assistant was correct. "I presume you meant that someone might harm the children."  
  
"If they are Dominants, they stand a better chance of survival. Our enemies might kill the human children of Dominant parents, assuming they are like them."  
  
Ed agreed. He had been so wrong. He realized that changing Dominants to Sapiens was the same as if he gorged out his eyes. They needed their five- minute sense, their strength, and their intelligence. The tests done months ago had proved that both species could cooperate. It was hard, but he made his decision. "I am killing the project together. We will keep a supply for historical records, but from now on, we have to protect Tom and Sloan. We cannot stay here forever."  
  
A week later, Sloan was awake. She was still weak, but now was able to nurse the babies. Tom and her named them John and Mary.  
  
"He tried to wipe us out," she said to her mate.  
  
"Kevin did not only try to wipe us out, but the treaty made between us."  
  
"He's still out there." She pulled open the curtains of the window in their house. The moon was rising over the horizon, and from the distance, they could hear a coyote. It was as if they were in another world and yet they were in this one. To an outside, this was an ordinary house out in Nevada, just on the border across from California. No one had High Speed internet, for television, they relied on Satellite TV and it was hard to reach someone by telephone—or so they thought.  
  
For the Dominants, using the tools they first used in Mexico, had dug underneath, bringing wires and cables from the nearest large town, setting the controls deep below, the means of defense, and getting ready in case Kevin would try again.  
  
For no matter how careful they were, there were always enemies, Alana was still alive, Kevin was still around, and there was still the one who wrecked the Lost Ships.  
  
However, now they had peace, now the Homo Sapiens, and the Homo Dominants had to live with each other.  
  
Sloan saw the blue eyes of her two children. "I wonder what the next ones will be."  
  
"They will all survive," said Tom.  
  
But in his mind he could see shadows of two people, a boy with wavy auburn hair and a disarming smile, and a tall blonde woman with eyes as cold as a glacier. The future was still debatable.  
  
The End. . 


End file.
